McMurdo Station

Nationality: United States

History: Established in 1956, it has grown from an outpost of a few buildings to a complex logistics staging facility of more than 100 structures including a harbor, an outlying airport (Williams Field) with landing strips on sea ice and shelf ice, and a helicopter pad. The station takes its name from McMurdo Sound which James Clark Ross named in 1841 after Lieutenant Archibald McMurdo of the ship Terror.

Information: The station accommodates 1200 people in summer and 200 in winter.  The station covers nearly 1.5 sq. mi. (4 sq.km.) between Hut Point and Observation Hill.  There are above-ground water, sewer, telephone, and power lines linking buildings.

Science:
The new science facility, the Albert P. Crary Science and Engineering Center (CSEC), dedicated on 5 November 1991, began full operation during the 1994-95 season. The Crary Laboratory supports biological, earth science, atmospheric sciences, and a new aquarium, all under one roof. The Crary facility was named for the geophysicist and geologist Albert P. Crary (1911-1987), the first person to set foot on both the North and South Poles.

Web Cam:

Website:
McMurdo Station

Wildlife:
King Penguins, Emperor Penguins, Adelie Penguins, Weddell Seals, Antarctic Skua