Beluga
Beluga, Alaska
The coastal community of Beluga is five miles north of the Chuitna River. Composed of seasonal and permanent landowners in the Three Mile Creek Subdivision and seasonal commercial fishermen. Permanent oil and gas workers, and those who maintain and run the Chugach Electric generation plant call Beluga home.
Commercial fishermen started fishing the beaches in 1897 when Ladd’s Station was sold to San Francisco fishing interests and the construction of a salmon cannery began. The cannery was originally by 75 Chinese workers but due to the intense storms that frequent the area it only lasted three years. The same held true for the hand pack cannery at the mouth of Three Mile Creek owned Libby Company, falling victim to erosion from storms that destroyed the bluff and staging area of the cannery.
Fish traps operated on Three Mile beach until outlawed with the Alaskan vote for statehood in 1959. Tenders were the only source of supplies for beach fishermen until the Beluga airport was constructed by Chevron Oil. The discovery of major gas deposits greatly changed the existing land near Beluga area beaches.
Beluga General Store | Photo By Jeanne Devon
In the 1960s, local roads were constructed to support gas exploration and development. Chugach Electric constructed the Beluga generation plant with electrical lines running east to Anchorage and west to Tyonek. Natural gas lines were also constructed to supply the growing Anchorage market. The population of Beluga greatly increases when new gas drilling or production facilities are improved during the summer months.
The Kenai Borough created the Three Mile Creek Subdivision in Beluga, consisting of 95 parcels of private land. Today it contains recreational cabins and full-time residences. The population greatly increases in the summer as south central residents arrive to enjoy the summer. Year-round residents tend to work in field services for the oil and gas industry. The majority of landowners are directly involved in sports fishing and hunting.
