Kotzebue, or "Kotz" as it is affectionately shortened, would be a village compared to the rest of the world, but is by far the largest community in the Northwest Arctic Borough at around 3200 people. Summers are cool, but the midnight sun shines brightly for most of June and July as the town sits just above the Arctic Circle. Winters are long, cold, and dark with incredible aurora shows and the stark beauty of winter in the Arctic.
Kotzebue takes up about 28 square miles and lies 33 miles north of the Arctic Circle at the end of the Baldwin Peninsula in the Kotzebue Sound.
This log cabin, a pioneer standard, welcomes people to Kotzebue with a caribou skull and a friendly sign.
Kotzebue is very much a part of the sea and the sky, not a busy city. But the constantly changing clouds and the freezing and melting of ice on the sound will have you under its spell.
This collection of caribou skulls is evidence that substance living is the norm. A large caribou herd migrates through the area and sustains the residents along with fish and sea life, gathered berries, and stored bought goods.
Car are not as useful as most other kinds vehicles in this area. Boats line the beach right along the Shore Street, front street of town. Four-wheelers run up and down the streets, out on the ice in winter, and across the tundra.
Kotzebue is quite windy, dry and treeless. There are about 20 turbines on the wind farm located near the town.
A simple country cemetery lies on the hill above town. It feels like the past is always nearby in a place as steeped with tradition and ancient ways as Kotzebue.
Salmon fishing is a staple of subsistence as well. Fish are cut with an ulu and the bones are removed. The flesh is then sliced so it will dry evenly and hung until it is ready to save for the winter.
Kotzebue is charming in its own special way. Being right on the sound and experiencing living off the icy sea is thrilling. You'll never forget your visit to Northwestern Alaska.
Have you been to Kotzebue? Do you live in Kotzebue? Tell us what you love about it in the comments below.
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