Museum Memories: 30 Years of Healing

This memory is brought to you courtesy of the collection from the Cordova Historical Society held in the Museum.

It took Cordovans some time to move forward from the disaster of the ’89 oil spill. In fact, the community became a subject for social scientists who conducted a long running study on disaster trauma. Their work focused on the initial and then the long-term impacts on the socio-economics of the community. Suicide, divorce and other signs of high-levels of psychological stress devastated Cordova after the oil spill.

Activism always seems like a cure-all for Cordovans and after the oil spill this was no different. Cordovans and other Prince William Sound residents demanded change in the means and methods of transporting oil through the Sound. To facilitate, residents established the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council, an independent group of individuals from oiled communities to promote environmentally safe operation of the Alyeska Marine Terminal and the tankers which use it. 

This memory is brought to you courtesy of the collection from the Cordova Historical Society held in the Museum.

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