Akiachak (; esu, Akiacuaq) is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP) in the
Bethel Census Area
Bethel Census Area is a census area in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population is 18,666, up from 17,013 in 2010. It is part of the unorganized borough and therefore has no borough seat. Its largest community is the ci ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
. The population was 627 at the
2010 census,
up from 585 in 2000.
Geography and climate
Akiachak is located at (60.909440, -161.43139),
Sec. 36, T010N, R069W, Seward Meridian) in the Bethel
Recording District.
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the CDP has a total area of , of which , or 0.11%, is water.
Akiachak is located on the west bank of the
Kuskokwim River
The Kuskokwim River or Kusko River (Yup'ik: ''Kusquqvak''; Deg Xinag: ''Digenegh''; Upper Kuskokwim: ''Dichinanek' ''; russian: Кускоквим (''Kuskokvim'')) is a river, long, in Southwest Alaska in the United States. It is the ninth la ...
in the
Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta
The Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta is a river delta located where the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers empty into the Bering Sea on the west coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. At approximately in size, it is one of the largest deltas in the world. It is larg ...
, northeast of
Bethel
Bethel ( he, בֵּית אֵל, translit=Bēṯ 'Ēl, "House of El" or "House of God",Bleeker and Widegren, 1988, p. 257. also transliterated ''Beth El'', ''Beth-El'', ''Beit El''; el, Βαιθήλ; la, Bethel) was an ancient Israelite sanct ...
. The area averages of precipitation, with snowfall of . Summer temperatures range from . Winter temperatures range from .
History and culture
The
Yup'ik
The Yup'ik or Yupiaq (sg & pl) and Yupiit or Yupiat (pl), also Central Alaskan Yup'ik, Central Yup'ik, Alaskan Yup'ik ( own name ''Yup'ik'' sg ''Yupiik'' dual ''Yupiit'' pl; russian: Юпики центральной Аляски), are an I ...
peoples used this region as a seasonal subsistence site. Called ''Akiakchagamiut'' in the 1890 census, the village had a population of 43 then. A post office was established in 1934. It incorporated as a second-class city on February 7, 1974. The city government was dissolved in 1987, in favor of traditional village council governance.
A
federally recognized
This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the United ...
Alaska Native tribal entity
This list of Alaska Native tribal entities names the federally recognized tribes in the state of Alaska.
The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 explains how these Alaska Native villages came to be tracked this way. This version was upda ...
, the
Akiachak Native Community
Akiachak (; esu, Akiacuaq) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Bethel Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. The population was 627 at the 2010 census, up from 585 in 2000.
Geography and climate
Akiachak is located at (60.909440, -161. ...
, is located here. Akiachak is a Yup'ik Eskimo village with a fishing and
subsistence
A subsistence economy is an economy directed to basic subsistence (the provision of food, clothing, shelter) rather than to the market. Henceforth, "subsistence" is understood as supporting oneself at a minimum level. Often, the subsistence econo ...
lifestyle. It has a strong traditional community, and was the first city in Alaska to dissolve its city government in favor of the Native village government. The sale, importation and possession of
alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
are banned in the village.
Demographics
Akiachak first appeared on the 1890 U.S. Census as the unincorporated native village of "Akiakchagmiut." All 43 of its residents were Native. It returned as Akiachak in 1900. It did not appear again on the census until 1940, when it returned as "Akiachok." It returned in 1950 and every successive census as Akiachak. It formally incorporated in 1974. In 1990, it disincorporated and was assigned the status of census-designated place (CDP).
[https://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cph5/cph-5-3.pdf ]
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 585 people, 133 households, and 111 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 150 housing units at an average density of 22.2/sq mi (8.6/km
2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 3.42%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 92.31%
Native American, and 4.27% from two or more races. 1.20% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 133 households, out of which 63.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.8% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.40 and the average family size was 4.89.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 44.4% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 14.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 121.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $35,833, and the median income for a family was $35,288. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $18,750 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the CDP was $8,321. About 16.2% of families and 21.2% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 25.7% of those under age 18 and 34.8% of those age 65 or over.
Currently half of the village is hooked up to a plumbing system. The village is currently working to write a grant in order to receive federal funding to plumb the rest of the village who still use honey buckets and must get their water from the river, rain, or snow. The village would like to purchase an incinerator and use the waste heat for public buildings. Electricity is provided by Akiachak Native Community Electric Co. There is one school located in the community, attended by over 200 students each year and growing. Local hospitals or health clinics include Akiachak Health Clinic. Akiachak Health Clinic is a Primary Health facility - they do not have authorization to prescribe drugs, give birth control, or handle much more than colds, small cuts, or routine strep throat treatment which is pervasive in the community. Most live births, birth control, injury, or serious illness will be referred to the Bethel hospital or patients may be air lifted to Anchorage in serious cases. Akiachak is classified as an isolated village. It is found in EMS Region 7A in the Yukon/Kuskokwim Region. Emergency Services have river and air access. Emergency service is provided by a health aide.
Economy and transportation
The majority of year-round employment in Akiachak is in education and other public services. The Yupiit School District headquarters are located in the community. Residents rely on seasonal employment such as commercial fishing, construction and BLM fire-fighting. 70 residents hold commercial fishing permits, and some work at canneries in Bristol Bay. The community is developing a
fish processing facility
A fish factory, also called a fish plant, fish processing facility, is a facility where fish processing is performed. Fish factories range in the size and range of species of fish they process. Some species of fish, such as mackerel and herring, ...
and freezer. Subsistence activities provide most food sources. Poor fish returns since 1997 have significantly affected the community.
Akiachak Airport
Akiachak Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located in Akiachak, in the Bethel Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska.
As per Federal Aviation Administration records, this airport had 2,607 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calend ...
, a state-owned long by wide gravel airstrip and public seaplane facilities, provides scheduled and chartered services year-round to Akiachak. Relocation of the Akiachak Airport is planned for the future. Boats, snowmachines and ATVs are used extensively by locals on the Kuskokwim River. A winter trail exists to
Bethel
Bethel ( he, בֵּית אֵל, translit=Bēṯ 'Ēl, "House of El" or "House of God",Bleeker and Widegren, 1988, p. 257. also transliterated ''Beth El'', ''Beth-El'', ''Beit El''; el, Βαιθήλ; la, Bethel) was an ancient Israelite sanct ...
(19 mi). Barges deliver bulk fuel and supplies during the summer.
References
External links
Akiachakat the Community Database Online from the
Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs
* Maps from the
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) is a department within the government of Alaska which handles most of the state's labor and workforce issues, primarily at the administrative level.
Structure
Within the Department ...
20002010
{{authority control
Census-designated places in Alaska
Census-designated places in Bethel Census Area, Alaska
Census-designated places in Unorganized Borough, Alaska
Former cities in Alaska
Road-inaccessible communities of Alaska