National Register of Historic Places

Point Barrow Refuge Station

Barrow, North Slope County, Alaska

Listed

December 2, 1980

Type

Building

Period

Industrial

Ref No.

80004563

About this property

The Point Barrow Refuge Station, also known as the Cape Smythe Whaling and Trading Station, is a historic wooden building in Utqiagvik, Alaska. The oldest wooden building along the Arctic Coast of Alaska, it is located near Isatkoak Lagoon 11 miles (18 km) south of Point Barrow, the northernmost point of the United States. It initially consisted of a large central room featuring 50 bunk beds, but the building was later expanded and converted for commercial use. Its former coal bunker was converted into a small kitchen and pantry. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. After a series of disasters and shipwrecks among the American whaling fleets in the Arctic Ocean during the late 1800s, the United States Revenue Cutter Service constructed a building to host stranded sailors near Point Barrow. The station operated from 1889 to 1896. Its superintendent Gilbert Bennett Borden sparked controversy after he conducted private trading in the region during his service, fought with whaling crews and his assistant-stationkeeper, and attempted to purchase a grounded schooner and outfit it with the station's provisions. Borden was removed in 1892 and the station saw little activity over the following years, before it was closed and sold to Cape Smyth Whaling and Trading Company manager Charles Brower in 1896. Brower expanded the building, and his son converted it into a restaurant, Brower's Cafe.

Location

Barrow, North Slope County, Alaska

71.29729, -156.77646

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Native Heritage

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The Community

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Nearby Historic Sites

Utkeagvik Church Manse

Questions about this property

When was Point Barrow Refuge Station listed on the National Register?

Point Barrow Refuge Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 2, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Point Barrow Refuge Station?

Point Barrow Refuge Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Point Barrow Refuge Station?

The period of significance for Point Barrow Refuge Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Point Barrow Refuge Station?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Point Barrow Refuge Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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