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This 2,700-person city is located at the northern end of Resurrection Bay and is the only major settlement on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Initially a military town and port, it was created because the bay remains ice-free all year; back then, a railway connected Seward to both interior Alaska and Fairbanks. When over 90 percent of the town was devastated by the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and subsequent tidal wave, the rail terminus was moved to Whittier; much of Seward was later rebuilt. A slide show at the local library recounts the disaster for visitors.

Seward is where tourists depart on hiking and boating trips into Kenai Fjords National Park. The park extends south along the eastern shore of the Kenai Peninsula and offers breathtaking views of fjords, tidewater glaciers, and abundant marine life. The 587,000-acre park includes the Harding Ice Field. The only portion of the park that is accessible by road is the Exit Glacier area, where visitors will find hiking trails, nature walks, and cross-country ski tracks.

Over Fourth of July weekend each year, thousands gather for the Mt. Marathon foot race, begun in 1915. This exciting race takes hardy participants up and back down a steep 3,022-foot mountain, with many runners simply sliding back down the mountain. It is an amazing endurance test.

When nearby Whittier imposed a tax on cruise ships, the massive tourist vessels decided to dock in Seward instead. On a busy day at the peak of summer, visitors might see three or four cruise ships in port. Activities in town include stopping by the Seward Museum and the Seward Marine Education Center, where visitors can take tours of the aquarium and see marine displays and movies.

Seward is fairly remote and not as well-known as Kenai and Homer, so competition among job-seekers is less intense. Two large processors and a large fleet offer numerous opportunities. In fact, Seward Fisheries is the largest halibut-receiving station on the west coast. The town is lucky enough to be serviced by the Alaska Marine Highway; ferries travel between Seward and Kodiak, Valdez, and Homer. Sightseers should note that the route to Valdez passes Columbia Glacier.

Seward Information

Population: 2,800

Location: At the head of Resurrection Bay

Annual precipitation: 92 inches

July averages: Temperature 55.5 F; precipitation 2.9 inches

Inexpensive lodging: New Seward Hotel and Saloon, 217 5th Ave., (907) 224-8001; $48-$96/night. Tony's Hotel and Bar, 135 4th Ave., (907) 224-3045; single rooms for $40/night, $100/week, $300/month. Snow River AYH Hostel, HCR 64 Box 425, Seward, AK 99664; no phone.

Camping: Forest Acres Campground, $8/night; located 1.5 miles north of town on the road to Anchorage; in 1994 they improved facilities and added showers. Many free campgrounds exist along the water; fourteen-day limit; conditions may be windy. Showers cost $1 for five minutes at the Harbor Master's Office in the Small Boat Harbor. Seward Fisheries (Icicle Seafoods) allows people to camp on a large gravel lot behind its plant. There is also free camping available off Low Point Road.

Bus: Seward & Kenai Peninsula Bus Lines, (907) 224-3608 or (907) 563-0800; offers daily service to or from Anchorage ($30), and to or from Seward ($31.50). Grey Line, (907) 277-5581, also has daily service to or from Anchorage for $42.

Train: The Alaska Railroad, (800) 544-0552 or (907) 265-2607; daily service between Anchorage and Seward. The four-hour ride costs $43 for a one-way ticket or $86/round trip.

Ferry terminal: Downtown

Chamber of Commerce: P.O. Box 749, Seward, AK 99664; (907) 224-8051

Hospital: Providence Seward Medical Center, (907) 224-5205

***More up-to-date employment information about Seward and other towns can be found at AlaskaJobFinder. Unfortunately, our licensing agreement with AlaskaJobFinder doesn't allow us to use the most current version of their Alaska Job information. Please use this town profile only for general information, as some of the information may be outdated.

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