Chitina, Alaska
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Chitina is a census-designated place located in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population of the CDP is 123.
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Geography
Chitina is located at 61°32'21" North, 144°25'30" West (61.539033, -144.424881)Template:GR.
Chitina is located on the west bank of the Copper River at its confluence with the Chitina River on the Edgarton Highway. It is 85 km (53 miles) southeast of Copper Center and 106 km (66 miles) southeast of Glennallen. It is outside the western boundary of the Wrangell - St Elias National Park and Preserve.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 248.0 km² (95.8 mi²). 219.2 km² (84.6 mi²) of it is land and 28.8 km² (11.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 11.62% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 123 people, 52 households, and 30 families residing in the CDP. The population density is 0.6/km² (1.5/mi²). There are 54 housing units at an average density of 0.2/km² (0.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP is 51.22% White, 0.00% Black or African American, 33.33% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 15.45% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 52 households out of which 23.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% are married couples living together, 13.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% are non-families. 36.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.37 and the average family size is 3.07.
In the CDP the population is spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 102.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP is $26,000, and the median income for a family is $28,750. Males have a median income of $31,250 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the CDP is $10,835. 12.7% of the population and 3.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 15.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
Athabascans have lived in the area around Chitina for centuries as evidenced by the archaeological sites south and east of Chitina. Before 1900, Chitina was the site of large village whose population was slowly decimated by the influx of people, disease and conflicts.
Copper ore was discovered in about 1900 along the northern edge of the Chitina River valley. This brought a rush of prospectors and homesteaders to the area. The Copper River and Northwestern Railway enabled Chitina to develop into a thriving community by 1914. It had a general store, a clothing store, a meat market, stables, a tinsmith, five hotels, several rooming houses, a pool hall, bars, restaurants, dance halls and a movie theater. Almost all of Chitina was owned by Otto Adrian Nelson, a surveying engineer for the Kennecott Mines. He built a unique hydroelectric system that supplied electric power to all his buildings. The mines closed in 1938 and the remaining support activities moved to what is now the Glennallen area. Chitina became a virtual ghost town.
Current activity in Chitina revolves around the dipnet fishing for salmon that occurs every summer. Alaskans are allowed to dip a large number of salmon during their spawning runs and Chitina is an accessible and popular place for this activity.