Updated on Apr 13, 2021
Ambler (, ) is a city in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 258, down from 309 in 2000. The city is located in the large Iñupiaq language speaking region of Alaska, and the local dialect is known as the Ambler dialect (related to the Shugnak dialect). , over 91% of the community speaks and understands the language (Kraus, 1999), with many young children actively learning the language in school. It has important relationships with the "hub" city of Kotzebue, Alaska and has important relationships with Maniilaq Health Association.
Ambler is located at , on the north bank of the Kobuk River, near the confluence of the Ambler and the Kobuk Rivers. It lies 45 miles north of the Arctic Circle. It is 138 miles northeast of Kotzebue, 30 miles northwest of Kobuk and 30 miles downriver from Shungnak. Ambler is located in the Kotzebue Recording District.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of . of it is land and of it (11.91%) is water.
Ambler is located in the continental climate zone. Temperatures have ranged from 93F to -74F. The Kobuk River is navigable from early June to mid-October. Ambler has a subarctic climate with long, extremely cold winters and short, warm summers. Temperatures in the winter often drop below -40 °C/°F, just like most of interior Alaska, but it frequently gets mild spells where the temperatures stay above 10 °F (-12 °C) for several days in a row because of the relative closeness to the Pacific Ocean. It occasionally gets above freezing in winter, even in January, although it is not very common. Places further East like Fairbanks and Fort Yukon, for comparison, are usually lightly affected by the mild Pacific air. Ambler is also wetter because of this. Summers are quite variable too, as the weather alternates between warm days and cooler days. The highest temperature of any given year is about 80 °F (26 °C) and occasionally above 86 °F (30 °C), occurring as recently as June 18 and 19, 2013 with a maximum temperature of 90 °F (32 °C) recorded on both days.
Below is a table containing data for the period 1981-1992:
The community was named for a tributary of the Kobuk River, which was named for Dr. James M. Ambler, who died of starvation after his ship was trapped in the Arctic ice in 1881. Ambler was permanently settled in 1958 when people from Shungnak and Kobuk moved downstream because of the variety of fish, wild game and spruce trees in the area. An archaeological site is located nearby at Onion Portage. A post office was established in 1963. The city was incorporated in 1971.
The story of the prophet Maniilaq states that he predicted in the future a great whale would swim upriver and arrive at Ambler.
Ambler's major means of transportation are by plane, small boat and snowmachine. There are no roads linking the city to other parts of the state. Ambler Airport, a State-owned 3,000' long by 60' wide lighted gravel airstrip, with a 2,400' long by 60' wide gravel crosswind airstrip, is located one and a half miles from the city. Bering Air, Hageland Aviation, and Ambler Air offer passenger flight service. In addition, daily scheduled services are provided out of Kotzebue, and air taxis provide charter flights. The airstrip has recently(written 2008) undergone major improvements. Boats are used for inter-village travel and subsistence activities. ATVs and snowmachines are commonly used in winter. In connection with plans to start mining, there are plans to build a road from the Dalton Highway to Ambler.
Cash employment is limited to the school, City, clinic, and local stores, and some mining occurs. Five residents hold commercial fishing permits. Subsistence is a major part of the local economy. Chum salmon and caribou are the most important food sources. Freshwater fish, moose, bear, and berries are also harvested. Birch baskets, fur pelts, and jade, quartz, bone and ivory carvings are sold in gift shops throughout the state. The community is interested in developing a lapidary facility for local artisans. There are plans to start mining in the region. There are large deposits.
Ambler first appeared on the 1960 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1971.
As of the census of 2000, there were 309 people, 79 households, and 63 families residing in
More about AMBLER under "Town Info"
This page uses material from the Wikipedia article Ambler, Alaska , which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.