The History of Elim

Elim is located on the northwest shore of Norton Bay on the Seward Peninsula, 96 miles east of Nome. It lies 460 miles northwest of Anchorage. It lies at approximately 64° 37' N Latitude, 162° 15' W Longitude (Sec. 15, T010S, R018W, Kateel River Meridian). The community is located in the Cape Nome Recording District. The area encompasses 2 sq. miles of land and 0 sq. miles of water.

This settlement was formerly the Malemiut Inupiat Eskimo village of Nuviakchak. The Native culture was well-developed and well adapted to the environment. Each tribe possessed a well-defined subsistence harvest territory. The area became a federal reindeer reserve in 1911. In 1914, Rev. L.E. Ost founded a Covenant mission and school, called Elim Mission Roadhouse. When the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was passed in 1971, Elim decided not to participate, and instead opted for title to the 298,000 acres of land in the former Elim Reserve. The Iditarod Sled Dog Race passes through Elim each year.

To Community Histories Index Alaska DCCED Community Database Online

History and map graphic used with permission from the Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development