Editing Chicken, Alaska (section)

==History==
Chicken was settled by [[gold mining|gold miners]] in the late-19th century. In 1902 the local post office was established, requiring a community name. Due to the prevalence of [[Rock ptarmigan|ptarmigan]] in the area, that name was suggested as the official name for the new community. However, the spelling could not be agreed on, and "Chicken" was used to avoid embarrassment.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mackenzie|first=B. B.|title=Alaska Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SJoKR54MWSYC&pg=PT72|date=June 5, 2012|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-7627-9460-7|page=72}}</ref> However, this is likely apocryphal, since it was popularized in the 1940s, almost 50 years after the town was founded. The most likely origin is from nearby Chicken Creek, as noted by [[Josiah Edward Spurr]] in 1896, “The creek is so named from the size of the gold, which is about that of chicken feed (corn).”<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reamer |first1=David |title=How did the tiny Alaska village of Chicken get its name? |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2024/01/14/how-did-the-tiny-alaska-village-of-chicken-get-its-name/ |website=Anchorage Daily News |publisher=Anchorage Daily News |access-date=27 October 2024}}</ref>

A portion of Chicken, with buildings from the early 1900s and the [[F.E. Company Dredge No. 4]] (Pedro Dredge), is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as the [[Chicken Historic District]]. Chicken is the outpost for the 40-Mile mining district. There are still active gold mines and inactive gold dredges in this area. Enough gold was mined here to make it worthwhile to haul huge gold dredges to this remote location.

On September 7, 2021, [[Jack in the Box]] released an ad campaign claiming to have purchased the town for 10,000 Cluck Chicken Sandwiches and a commemorative hat.<ref>{{Citation|title=Jack Owns Chicken {{!}} Jack in the Box|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zds2suKO50|language=en|access-date=September 21, 2021}}</ref> The company explains on a website created for the campaign this was only an ad, but that the company has donated $10,000 to help the town amid the pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jack in the Box {{!}} Jack Owns Chicken|url=https://jackownschicken.com/|access-date=September 21, 2021|website=jackownschicken.com}}</ref> However, as of September 2021 the downtown area of Chicken (not owned by Jack in the Box) was for sale, including the Chicken Creek Cafe, the Chicken Creek Saloon, a liquor store, a gas station, the Chicken Mercantile Emporium, and a 1400-sq.-ft. residential cabin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Own downtown Chicken, Alaska for just $750,000 - West Coast Traveller |last=Attas |first=Amy |website=West Coast Traveller |date=February 14, 2021 |url= https://www.westcoasttraveller.com/own-downtown-chicken-alaska-for-just-750000/}}</ref>