Cordova

Cordova is a small, coastal town surrounded by glacier-carved mountains, nestled at the head of Orca Inlet in Eastern Prince William Sound. The area is rich with wildlife, wetlands, lush forests, and countless waterways. The myriad of activities such as hiking, wildlife photography, boating, sportfishing, flight-seeing makes Cordova an ultimate destination.

Cordova’s summer temperatures range between 45 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. In the mild winters the temperature seldom drops to zero. The average rainfall is approximately 180 inches annually.

Cordova has a year round population of about 2,800. This number increases to over 5,000 as the commercial fishing fleet arrives to begin the salmon season (May through September). Cordova is an authentic fishing community with commercial fishing being the mainstay of the local economy. The many cultures living in the Cordova area add to the global flavor of the town.

Cordova Chamber of Commerce 907-424-7260.
www.cordovachamber.com

Emergency only: 911; Cordova Community Medical Center 424-8000.

Ambulance/Fire Department 424-6117, police 424-6100.

Cordova has a rich and varied history. The descendants of the first inhabitants of the Cordova area, the Eyak and Chugach, keep their legacy alive through traditional arts and crafts. The influence of the Copper ore era of the early 1900’s , which brought in the railroad, can still be felt as you drive across the Million Dollar Bridge past the Child’s Glacier. Commercial fishing has been the mainstay of the Cordova economy, dating back to the 1800’s. Today, visitors can watch as modern day fishers gear up for the seasonal salmon fishery.

Cordova grew and prospered as the early-day tidewater terminus of the 194-mile Copper River and Northwest Railway. Immortalized in The Iron Trail by Rex Beach, the historic railway was built in 1908 to transport copper ore to tidewater. By 1925, the Kennicott Copper Company had extracted $175 million dollars worth of copper from the district. By 1938, however, the ore supply had diminished, the price of copper dropped and the mines and railway closed down.

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