Aluakpak

Aluakpak, also known as Coal Mine No. 3, is a historic Native Alaskan coal mining site on the east bank of the Kuk River about 15 miles from Wainwright. Now recognized as an archaeological site, it preserves a major coal outcropping, a camp used since the 19th century by Native people mining coal, and a nearby reindeer herding camp linked to the deposits. Its value increased after iron stoves made coal an important local fuel. Because it lay between the coast and inland hunting grounds, Aluakpak fit into wider seasonal travel patterns and remains part of local life, as Wainwright residents still use its coal to supplement heating oil.

Wainwright, Alaska · United States