Editing Upper Kalskag, Alaska (section)

== Culture and history ==
Upper Kalskag is a traditional [[Yup'ik]] village, with a culture centered on subsistence activities. The founding residents were from the native village of Kaltkhagamute, four miles down river. The Russian explorer [[Lavrenty Zagoskin]] reported a population of 120 in 1843 for Kaltkhagamute (Khalkagmute). Over the years, residents of [[Crow Village, Alaska|Crow Village]], [[Ohagamiut, Alaska|Ohagamiut]], [[Russian Mission, Alaska|Russian Mission]], and Paimute also moved to the village. Russian and American explorers brought both [[Roman Catholic]] and [[Russian Orthodox]] religious influences, but the village's Russian Orthodox practitioners left to establish [[Lower Kalskag, Alaska|Lower Kalskag]] 2 miles downriver in 1940. George Morgan, a German immigrant who founded [[Georgetown, Alaska|Georgetown]], established a general store and post office in 1932. Paul N. Kameroff Sr. also established a general store, a pool hall, and a coffee shop around 1930. The government school was built in that timeframe as well. The community once owned a herd of about 2000 [[porcupine caribou|caribou]].