Quinhagak (; ) is a city in Bethel Census Area,

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

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. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 776, up from 669 in 2010. The Yupik name for the village is ''Kuinerraq'', meaning "new river channel." It has been dated to at least 1000 AD. Quinhagak is near the Nunalleq archaeological site, which has "easily the largest collection of pre-contact Yup'ik material anywhere," according to anthropologist Rick Knecht. Thousands of items dating from 1350 to 1670 have been uncovered. These include many organic artifacts preserved in permafrost. The site is located along eroding coastline and up to 75% of the original site is thought to have washed away as of 2013, including the original excavation site.

Geography

Quinhagak is located at . It is situated on the Kanektok River and near the Arolik River, approximately a mile from the

Kuskokwim Bay Kuskokwim Bay is a bay in southwestern Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside ...

of the

Bering Sea The Bering Sea ( , ; rus, Бе́рингово мо́ре, r=Béringovo móre, p=ˈbʲerʲɪnɡəvə ˈmorʲe) is a marginal sea of the Northern Pacific Ocean. It forms, along with the Bering Strait, the divide between the two largest landmasse ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (10.86%) is water.

Demographics

Quinhagak has appeared under six different names on census records over the course of a century. It first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit village of "Quinchahamute." In 1890, it returned as "Quinhaghamiut." In 1900, it returned as "Kwiniak." In 1910, it returned as "Kwinak", with the alternative spelling of "Quinhagak." In 1920 and 1930, it appeared exclusively under its present spelling of Quinhagak. From 1940 to 1970, it was spelled as "Kwinhagak." It was formally incorporated in 1975 with the current spelling of Quinhagak. As of the census of 2000, there were 555 people, 137 households, and 113 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 153 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.04% Native American, 1.26% from two or more races, and 2.70%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

0.72% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. There were 137 households, out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.8% were non-families. 12.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.05 and the average family size was 4.52. In the city, the population was spread out, with 37.1% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $25,156, and the median income for a family was $25,313. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $36,250 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $8,127. About 27.2% of families and 26.1% 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 ...

, including 34.0% of those under age 18 and 25.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The village hosts a

commercial fishing Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for Commerce, commercial Profit (economics), profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice ...

industry and fish plant (not operational since the Platinum Fish Processing Plants opening in 2010). Although a commercial fishing village, there has been no commercial fishing since the local processor, Coastal Villages Seafood/Coastal Villages Region Fund, stopped buying salmon since 2016. Most Quinhagak households practice

subsistence A subsistence economy is an economy directed to basic subsistence (the provision of food, clothing and shelter) rather than to the market. Definition "Subsistence" is understood as supporting oneself and family at a minimum level. Basic subsiste ...

hunting and gathering A hunter-gatherer or forager is a human living in a community, or according to an ancestrally derived lifestyle, in which most or all food is obtained by foraging, that is, by gathering food from local naturally occurring sources, especially wi ...

in addition to any wage work they are able to find, utilizing the village's excellent location for

salmon Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...

and

trout Trout (: trout) is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the ...

fishing, bird, caribou, and moose

hunting Hunting is the Human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products (fur/hide (sk ...

, and

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the cul ...

picking. Much of the work available is government-funded (through the Lower Kuskokwim School District, which runs the local school, or through the Native Village of Kwinhagak).

Education

Lower Kuskokwim School District Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD), or Bethel Public Schools, is a school district headquartered in Bethel, Alaska. it is the largest rural school district in the state, with 4,300 students. Employment and teacher demographics In 2017 it ...

operates the Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat School, K-12. The school has approximately 220 students enrolled with 37 staff members.

References

{{authority control Cities in Alaska Cities in Bethel Census Area, Alaska Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean Populated places established in the 10th century