Seward's History and Facts

The City of Seward, Alaska

City History: Alaska Native Indians originally thrived in this region. In the late 1800's the area bustled into a small town, thanks to the gold rush. In 1903 the city of Seward was created and later incorporated in 1912. The town's namesake is William H. Seward, Secretary of State to President Lincoln. Commercial fishing, local railroads and the boat harbor play key roles in the local economy of the past and present. This small community also thrives thanks in part to the countless visiting tourists that arrive at its shores each year.

Weather: Average winter days in Seward are 15-20 degrees while a nice day in the summer averages around 52-58 degrees.

• Mt. Marathon attracts thousands of visitors each year for the annual July 4th race.
• Seward is part of the Chugach National Forest (the second largest in the country).
• The tsunamis that followed the 64' earthquake killed several local residents of Seward.
• Seward is a three time "All American City"!
• The famous "Silver Salmon Derby" was started in 1956.

Seward City Links: Discover more about Seward and its history at these informative websites.

Alaska's SeaLife Center

Seward Conference and Visitors Bureau

Seward Small Boat Harbor