Wainwright

The Wainwright lagoon was named by Cpt. F.W. Beechey for one of his officers, John Wainwright. The region has however been inhabited for centuries by the local Natives who call the area Olgoonik. The town was established only in 1904. On the St. Roch's return voyage in 1944, Wainwright served as a point of no return for the vessel. Once past the town on September 24th there would be no sense in attempting to battle the ice and return to the Yukon to winter. Instead Cpl. Larsen decided to complete the passage in one season and, dodging ice floes and bad weather across the northern coast of Alaska, pushed through into the Pacific by early October.