Brevig Mission
Brevig Mission is located at the mouth of
Shelman Creek on Port Clarence, 5 miles northwest of Teller and 65 miles
northwest of Nome. It lies at approximately 65° 20' N Latitude, 166° 29'
W Longitude (Sec. 09, T002S, R038W, Kateel River Meridian). The
community is located in the Cape Nome Recording District. The area
encompasses 4 sq. miles of land and 0 sq. miles of water.
The
Kauwerak Eskimos in this area lived in migratory communities in pursuit
of hunting and fishing grounds, and traded furs with Siberia, Little
Diomede and King Island. They formed alliances with Wales, Little
Diomede and others for protection. The "Teller Reindeer Station" opened
near this site in 1892; it was operated by the U.S. government until
1900. A Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Mission was constructed at the
present site in 1900, and the village became known as Teller Mission. In
1903, the Brevig Mission post office was established, named after the
Rev. T.L. Brevig, an early pastor at the mission. Reindeer were the
economic base of this community until 1974, but the industry has since
declined.
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