The History of King Cove

King Cove is located on the south side of the Alaska Peninsula, on a sand spit fronting Deer Passage and Deer Island. It is 18 miles southeast of Cold Bay and 625 miles southwest of Anchorage. It lies at approximately 55° 03' N Latitude, 162° 19' W Longitude (Sec. 22, T059S, R086W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the Aleutian Islands Recording District. The area encompasses 3 sq. miles of land and 2 sq. miles of water.

King Cove was founded in 1911 when Pacific American Fisheries built a salmon cannery. Early settlers were Scandinavian, European and Aleut fishermen. Of the first ten founding families, five consisted of a European father and an Aleut mother. The cannery operated continuously between 1911and 1976, when it was partially destroyed by fire. The adoption of the 200-mile fisheries limit spurred rebuilding. King Cove remains tied to fishing and fish processing.

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