VALDEZ

city, southeastern Alaska, U.S. It lies on Prince William Sound and is the northernmost all-year port in North America. Formerly known as Copper City, it was named in 1898 for its harbour (explored and named by Spaniards in 1790) when it became a gateway for the Yukon goldfields. It is a port of entry and the southern terminal for the trans-Alaskan pipeline from Prudhoe Bay. The petroleum industry is the main economic activity, supplemented by mining, tourism (hunting and fishing), and fur farming. After it was severely damaged in 1964 by the Alaskan earthquake, the town was rebuilt 5 miles (8 km) west on safer ground. The Columbia Glacier is nearby. Valdez was the principal settlement affected when the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound on March 24, 1989, in what was the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Inc. 1901. Pop. (1990) 4,068.