The community of Wainwright, Alaska, is located 136 km (85 miles) southwest of Barrow, Alaska on the coast of the Chukchi Sea.  It is part of the North Slope Borough which comprises more than 88,000 acres across the northern regions of Alaska.  The inhabitants of the community are Inupiat Eskimo and number approximately 550 residents.  There are about 91 families in the community according to the last census data.

Wainwright was named in 1826 by Captain F.W. Beechey for his officer, Lt. John Wainwright. The present village was established in 1904 when the Alaska Native Service built a school here.  Later, the Bureau of Indian Affairs took over administration of the school and the federal government ran the school system until the mid-1970's.

Wainwright has a strong and healthy subsistence economy that mainly relies on the fall caribou migration and spring whaling.  The village is accessible by air and is supported by an airstrip long enough for large cargo planes.  Regular passenger and air freight service is provided by three commercial airline companies based in Barrow.  In addition, fuel and freight barges service the community in the late fall when the seashore is free of ice.

Wainwright is a unified community noted for its social stability and commitment to cultural traditions.  The Wainwright Dancers and the Utuqqagmiut Dance Group provide opportunities for residents of all ages to participate in festivals and other cultural events.  Traditional feasts at Thanksgiving and Christmas are part of the annual celebrations held in the community. The Spring Festival has many traditional events that are done in preparation for the spring whale hunts that take place in late April and May.  In June, the Nalukataq feast and celebration follows a successful whale hunt.

There are approximately 54 elders living in the community that provide guidance and knowledge for the younger residents.  Most of the elders speak the Inupiaq language as their first language.  Younger residents speak English as their first language. The Wainwright Community Council governs the affairs of the city, and the Wainwright Traditional Council takes care of issues relating to the rights and laws of the Inupiat people.  The Olgoonik Corporation is the native corporation in the area of which all native residents are members and stockholders.  The corporation provides a number of services including operation of a store and numerous jobs programs.

In the decade of the '70's the development of oil fields on the North Slope fueled an economic boom.  As the trans-Alaska pipeline was constructed the North Slope Borough was formed.  Along with the formation of the borough, the North Slope Borough School District came into being.

This is an era of transition for all residents of the village.  Only five years ago there was no running water or sewer facilities in residents' homes.  Today these utilities exist for most people along with satellite television, cell phones, and internet access.  The change has been rapid and people are adapting to the new ways of doing things while trying to maintain the cultural identity so important to the Inupiat people.