Anchorage Daily News

PERRYVILLE

POPULATION: 119 (2007)

LOCATION: On the south coast of the Alaska Peninsula, 275 miles southwest of Kodiak and 500 miles southwest of Anchorage.

DESCRIPTION: A village that maintains its Unangan culture and subsistence lifestyle. More than 98 percent of the population is Alaska Native. Commercial fishing provides some cash income -- 11 residents hold permits for the Chignik salmon fishery. During summer, most residents leave to fish in Chignik or Chignik Lagoon. Only a few year-round jobs are available. Some trap during the winter, and all rely heavily on subsistence food sources like salmon, trout, marine fish, crab, clams, moose, caribou, bear, porcupine and seal. There is one school, attended by about 35 students. During the April 2000 U.S. Census, 32 residents were employed, per capita income was $20,935 and nearly 1 of every six village residents was living below the official U.S. poverty level.

HISTORY: The community was founded in 1912 as a refuge for Unangan people driven from their villages by the eruption of Mt. Katmai. Many villagers from Douglas and Katmai survived the eruption because they were out fishing at the time. Captain Perry of the ship Manning transported people from the Katmai area to Ivanof Bay and later to the new village site. The village was originally called "Perry"; "ville" was added to conform to the post office name, established in 1930.

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