Clark's Point
Clark's
Point is located on a spit on the northeastern shore of Nushagak Bay, 15
miles from Dillingham and 337 miles southwest of Anchorage. It lies at
approximately 58° 50' N Latitude, 158° 33' W Longitude (Sec. 25, T015S,
R056W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the Bristol Bay
Recording District. The area encompasses 4 sq. miles of land and 2 sq.
miles of water.
The point originally had an Eskimo
name, "Saguyak," yet there is no evidence of a settlement at the site
prior to the Nushagak Packing Company cannery, established in 1888. The
community was named for John Clark, who was the manager of the Alaska
Commercial Company store at Nushagak. Clark is reputed to have operated
a saltery prior to the establishment of the cannery. In 1893 the cannery
became a member of the Alaska Packers Association. In 1901 a two-line
cannery was built. During World War II the canning operation ceased, and
only salting was done at Clark's Point. The plant was shut down
permanently by 1952, and the Alaska Packers Association used the
facility as the headquarters for its fishing fleet. In 1929, a major
flood occurred, and the village has been plagued by severe erosion ever
since. A housing project in 1982 was constructed on high and safe ground
on the bluff.
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