Baker Creek is a right bank

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...

of the

Tanana River The Tanana River (Lower Tanana: Tth'eetoo', Upper Tanana: ''Tth’iitu’ Niign'') is a tributary of the Yukon River in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to linguist and anthropologist William Bright, the name is from the Koyukon (Athabaskan) ...

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 ...

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., ...

. Baker Creek tributaries include Thanksgiving, Gold Run,

Eureka Eureka (often abbreviated as E!, or Σ!) is an intergovernmental organisation for research and development funding and coordination. Eureka is an open platform for international cooperation in innovation. Organisations and companies applying th ...

, and Pioneer creeks; Seattle Junior Creek is a tributary of

Pioneer Creek Pioneer Creek is a tributary of Baker Creek in the U.S. state of Alaska. Other Baker tributaries in the vicinity include Eureka, Thanksgiving, and Gold Run. Geography Pioneer Creek heads against the Baker- Minook divide, flows around the head of t ...

. The Baker Creek diggings of the early 20th century were situated approximately south of

Rampart Rampart may refer to: * Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement Rampart may also refer to: * "O'er the Ramparts We Watched" is a key line from "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the ...

Geography

The creek flows along the southwestern side of a large flat, broad in its widest part, and approximately long. Its longer extensions are northeast–southwest in the line of flow of Eureka and Hutlina creeks. Instead of sharp canyon-like valleys, the streams flow through open valleys, and where they flow in general parallel to the Baker- Minook divide—that is, approaching a northeast–southwest or an east–west direction—the southern bank is steep, while the northern one is gently sloping, the creeks flowing close to the steeper side. Even along the broad Baker Flats, this feature is still prominent. The north side is a long gentle slope toward the divide, rising more sharply in its upper part, while across the flats the southern side may be seen rising abruptly from the valley floor. There are several main streams within the Baker Creek gold area. Eureka Creek, lying next to the Baker-Minook divide, flows southwesterly for about , then turns to the south. Pioneer Creek flows parallel to Eureka between to the southeast and joins it on Baker Flats. Rhode Island Creek flows in a southerly direction, about west of Eureka Creek, Omega Creek in the western part of the gold area. Into these creeks flow all of the smaller creeks of the area along the Baker-Minook divide. The streams are all small, many of the smaller ones being ordinarily dry during the summer and fall. The gradient of the larger streams is comparatively low and water reaches the benches with difficulty.

History

Baker Creek was named by

Henry Tureman Allen Major General Henry Tureman Allen (April 13, 1859 – August 29, 1930) was a senior United States Army officer known for exploring the Copper River in Alaska in 1885 along with the Tanana and Koyukuk rivers by transversing of wilderness. His t ...

in 1885; it is reportedly the same waterway as

Ivan Petrof Ivan Petrof (1842? - 1896) (commonly spelled "Petroff" in sources) was a Russian-born soldier, writer, and translator who for many years was regarded as a major authority on Alaska. According to historian Terrence Cole, Petrof "holds the distinc ...

's Saklekageta of 1880. Gold was discovered in the Baker Creek area on Eureka Creek, where mining was begun during the winter of 1898-99 and a small amount was taken out. On Glenn Creek, gold was discovered in July, 1901, on the benches along Pioneer Creek in 1902, on Thanksgiving Creek in February, 1903, and other discoveries were made during the summer of 1904.

References

* ;Bibliography * * * {{authority control Rivers of Alaska Rivers of Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska Rivers of Unorganized Borough, Alaska