Homer

Homer, city, southern Alaska, U.S. It lies on the Kenai Peninsula and the northern shore of Kachemak Bay, some 225 miles (360 km) south of Anchorage. The region was originally inhabited by Eskimos (Inuit) and then by Tanaina Indians. The city grew up around the coal mines that were established there in 1889. It was founded in 1895 and named (1896) for Homer Pennock, a gold prospector, though he left the area within a year. Mining had faded by the turn of the 20th century, replaced largely by fishing. Much of the city was damaged by a massive earthquake in 1964. Tourism and fishing (commercial and sport) are the main economic activities, and Homer brands itself the “Halibut Capital of the World.” The city is situated on the Sterling Highway connecting Seward and towns on the Cook Inlet area, and it serves as a trading centre for a vast farming region; it also still has large reserves of coal. Homer’s active artist community contributes to the local economy by selling crafts, sculptures, paintings, and pottery. The city is the seat of the Kachemak Bay campus of Kenai Peninsula College, an extended campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage. An annual shorebird festival (May), first held in 1993, celebrates the migratory gathering of some 100,000 birds. Another annual event is the Winter Carnival (February). Homer serves as a gateway to Kachemak Bay State Park and State Wilderness Park, a popular recreational area (boating, kayaking, fishing, and hiking) containing some 400,000 acres (160,000 hectares) of glaciers, forests, and mountains. Nearby is Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Inc. city, 1964. Pop. (2000) 3,946; (2010) 5,003.