Population
City of Port Lions: 220
History and Culture
Port Lions was founded after the village of Afognak was destroyed by the 1964 earthquake and tsunami. The Afognak residents relocated and rebuilt the town, naming it in honor of the Lions Club because of all the support they provided during this process.
The area is thought to have been inhabited for at least 2,000 years by Sugpiaq Eskimos, and hundreds of artifacts have been uncovered to support this theory. The area's history includes Russian fur trading, which reached its peak in the mid-1700s. During more recent history, cannery operations have sustained the community.
Approximately 63.7% of the population are Alaska Natives. A federally-recognized Native organization is located in the community, and Port Lions is governed by both a city and a tribal government. Port Lions is a traditional Sugpiaq Eskimo settlement practicing a commercial fishing and subsistence lifestyle.
