Cordova is built upon a rich foundation of bounties from both the sea and the land; add to that the traditions of many cultures of people and the result is a novel Alaskan community. Natives lived near the shores of the lake, and coastal areas of Prince William Sound guaranteed a food source with the return of the salmon each spring. Salmon also attracted others; by 1887, two canneries were operating in the Odiak Slough area. By 1915, Cordova became known as the "Razor Clam Capital of the World." High in the Wrangell Mountains lays the rich Kennecott copper lode; Cordova's deepwater port was selected as the most accessible terminus for copper ore shipment. A 196-mile railroad delivered the first train loaded with copper ore to Cordova in 1911, beginning an era of prosperity and growth. Cordova has since survived the loss of the railroad, devastating fires, nature's earthquakes, and man-made oil spills.