Unalakleet is a community on Norton Sound at the mouth of the Unalakleet River, 148 miles southeast of Nome and 395 miles northwest of Anchorage. Long a trade centre at the end of the Kaltag Portage, its name is commonly translated as place where the east wind blows.[1]
| Location | Norton Sound, mouth of Unalakleet River |
|---|---|
| From Nome | 148 miles southeast |
| From Anchorage | 395 miles northwest |
| Earliest house remains | 200 B.C. to 300 A.D. |
| Russian post | 1830s |
| Reindeer herders arrived | 1898 |
Location
Unalakleet lies on Norton Sound at the mouth of the Unalakleet River, 148 miles southeast of Nome and 395 miles northwest of Anchorage.[1]
Early history and trade
Archaeologists have dated house remains along the beach ridge to between 200 B.C. and 300 A.D. Upper-river people were known as skilled traders who controlled the trade across the Kaltag Portage, a major winter route to the Yukon River, and Unalakleet stood at its end, making it a long-standing trade centre.[1]
Russian and American period
The Russian-American Company built a trading post here in the 1830s. In 1898 reindeer herders from Lapland were brought to Unalakleet to establish sound herding practices, and in 1901 the Army Signal Corps built over 605 miles of telegraph line from St. Michael to Unalakleet, continuing over the portage to Kaltag and Fort Gibbon.[1]
FAQs
What does Unalakleet mean? Commonly translated as place where the east wind blows.
Where is it? On Norton Sound, 148 miles southeast of Nome.
Why was it a trade centre? It was the end of the Kaltag Portage to the Yukon.
Sources
Key facts
- Russian post built 1830s
- Reindeer herders arrived 1898
Quick checkWhere does the Kaltag Portage start?Show answer
At Unalakleet
Sources
- ExploreNorth. The History of Unalakleet. 2026 (accessed 2026-11-14)
Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 14, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue