Seward

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Seward is a fishing village located in the northwest corner of Resurrection Bay, an arm of the Pacific Ocean. It was established in 1793 by the Russians as a shipbuilding site, but came into its own as a port after Alaska was purchased by the US government (Remember "Seward's Folly" from high school?). When gold was found in northern Alaska, since shipping access to the mining areas on the Bering Sea coast were shut down by ice from October to June, a winter overland supply route became essential. This was accomplished by a 938 mile dogsled route from Seward to Nome, carrying supplies into the mining camps and returning with gold. This route became known as the Iditarod Trail, and is the basic route followed by the famous Iditarod dogsled race, although the route has been extended to around 1,000 miles and now begins in Anchorage.
Because Resurrection Bay is an ice-free harbor with spectacular mountains dropping right into the sea, Seward has become a top tourist destination and popular cruise ship stop, as well as one of the top commercial and sports fishing centers in Alaska.

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