Our Communities

Nelson Lagoon

Nelson Lagoon is the only Unangan settlement on the Bering Sea shore. Historically, it had been used as an Unangan summer fish camp. In 1882, the lagoon was named for Edward William Nelson, a naturalist and explorer who traveled the region between 1877 and 1920. From 1906 until 1917, a salmon salting facility operated at the location. The community is located on the northern coast of the Alaska Peninsula and sits on a narrow sand spit that separates the lagoon from the Bering Sea. Nelson Lagoon is situated in the middle of a rich and productive salmon fisheries area. The community’s dock, boat ramp, harbormaster’s office and warehouse were completed in the late 1990s. Nelson Lagoon has excellent docking facilities available as well as boat and gear storage. A state-owned 4,000-foot-long lighted gravel runway serves the community with regularly scheduled flights.