Cooper Landing, Alaska, perches at the west end of Kenai Lake, where the salmon- and trout-rich Kenai River begins its journey to Cook Inlet.
Cooper Landing services
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Lodging
Charters and tours
The town, with a population of about 370, sits along the Sterling Highway, 30 miles northwest of Seward in the Chugach Mountains and about 40 miles east of Soldotna. It's in the Kenai Peninsula Borough.
January temperatures range from 4 to 22; July temperatures vary from 46 to 65. The average annual precipitation is 20 inches.
Cooper Landing's economy of the area is diverse, but tourism-related employment and seasonal businesses provide most jobs. The 70-room Kenai Princess Lodge accommodates Princess cruise ship passengers and other tourists.
The Sterling Highway provides access to Anchorage and beyond. Kenai offers air transportation and docking facilities. A privately owned boat launch is available. The state-owned Quartz Creek Airport provides a 2,200-foot gravel runway, and floatplanes may land at Cooper Lake.
Five percent of the population is Alaska Native or part Native.
The Cooper Landing Community Club, formed in 1949, is involved extensively in local development issues and is an advocate for residents' concerns. The population of the area nearly doubles each summer to support tourism businesses and activities. During the 2000 U.S. Census, there were 379 total housing units, and 217 of these were vacant. 184 of these vacant housing units are used only seasonally.
History
Between 1848 and 1851, Russian engineer P. Doroshin found gold in the area. Cooper Landing was named for Joseph Cooper, a miner who discovered gold there in 1884. Cooper Creek was first recorded in 1898 by the U.S. Geological Survey. In 1900, the census found 21 miners and a wife living at Cooper Creek. The Riddiford Post Office began operations in 1924, and the Riddiford School opened in 1928.
In 1938, a road was constructed to Seward. In 1948, a road to Kenai was opened, and by 1951, residents could drive to Anchorage.
The Cooper Lake Hydroelectric Facility was constructed in 1959-60.
Source: Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development
