Editing Kobuk, Alaska

{{short description|City in Alaska, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Kobuk
|native_name            = Laugviik
     
| native_name_lang        = ik
|settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = <!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Kobuk, Alaska.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Aerial view of Kobuk
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Northwest Arctic Borough Alaska incorporated and unincorporated areas Kobuk highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska|Northwest Arctic Borough]] and the state of [[Alaska]].

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alaska]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|Borough]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska|Northwest Arctic]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Alex Sheldon<ref>{{Cite book|title=2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=Juneau|publisher=Alaska Municipal League|year=2015|page=89}}</ref>
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Donny Olson]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
|leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name2             = [[Robyn Burke]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = September 25, 1973<ref>{{cite journal|title=Directory of Borough and City Officials 1974|journal=Alaska Local Government|volume=XIII|issue=2|page=48|location=Juneau|publisher=[[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development|Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs]]|date=January 1974}}</ref>

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_02.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 41.49
|area_land_km2            = 40.16
|area_water_km2           = 1.33
|area_total_sq_mi         = 16.02
|area_land_sq_mi          = 15.51
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.51

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 191
|population_density_km2   = 4.76
|population_density_sq_mi = 12.32
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 45
|elevation_ft             = 148
|coordinates              = {{coord|66|55|3|N|156|54|25|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99751
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-40840
|blank1_name             = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info             = {{GNIS 4|1413362}}
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}

'''Kobuk''' ({{langx|ik|Laugviik}}) is a city in [[Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska]], United States. At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] the population was 151, up from 109 in 2000.

==History==
Kobuk was founded in 1899 as the village of Shungnak, a supply point for miners north of the [[Kobuk River]] in the Cosmos Hills. A trading post, school, and mission were built and residents came to the settlement. In the 1920s, river erosion led many residents to relocate ten miles downstream (west) to a site called "Kochuk." Kochuk became the new [[Shungnak, Alaska|Shungnak]], while the original Shungnak became Kobuk in 1928.<ref name="books.google.com">{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rr9RAQAAMAAJ&q=kobuk&pg=PA49 |title = Geological Survey Professional Paper|year = 1949}}</ref>

In May 1973, a flood covered the entire village. In September of the same year, it incorporated as a city.

The economy of Kobuk is based on subsistence hunting for caribou and moose.

The first postmaster at Kobuk (when it was still called Shungnak) was Martin F. Moran, appointed September 24, 1903.<ref>Dickerson, Ora B. (1989) ''120 Years of Alaska Postmasters, 1867-1987'', p. 63. Scotts, Michigan: Carl J. Cammarata. A photograph of George Cleveland (postmaster 1949-77), outside the Co-op Store/Post Office, appears on the cover of the book.</ref>

==Geography and climate==
Kobuk has a typical [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: '''Dfc'''), bordering on a dry-winter [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: '''Dwc''').

Kobuk is located at {{coord|66|55|3|N|156|54|25|W|type:city}} (66.917579, -156.906829).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

Kobuk is located on the bank of the [[Kobuk River]], {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} northeast of [[Shungnak, Alaska|Shungnak]]. It is near [[Kobuk Valley National Park]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|16.8|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|16.1|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.7|sqmi|km2}} of it (4.34%) is water.

The coldest temperature recorded in Kobuk was -68&nbsp;°F (-56&nbsp;°C) on March 1, 1971. Kobuk holds the record for the coldest temperature to ever be recorded in the United States in March.

{{Weather box
|single line = yes
|location = Kobuk (1961–1990 normals, extremes 1953–1979)
|Jan record high F = 39
|Feb record high F = 38
|Mar record high F = 45
|Apr record high F = 59
|May record high F = 79
|Jun record high F = 90
|Jul record high F = 92
|Aug record high F = 90
|Sep record high F = 73
|Oct record high F = 55
|Nov record high F = 42
|Dec record high F = 40
|year record high F = 92
|Jan avg record high F = 29.3
|Feb avg record high F = 26.4
|Mar avg record high F = 33.8
|Apr avg record high F = 46.6
|May avg record high F = 66.3
|Jun avg record high F = 79.3
|Jul avg record high F = 81.8
|Aug avg record high F = 78.7
|Sep avg record high F = 66.3
|Oct avg record high F = 43.3
|Nov avg record high F = 32.8
|Dec avg record high F = 29.0
|year avg record high F = 84.3
|Jan high F = 1.1
|Feb high F = 3.1
|Mar high F = 13.4
|Apr high F = 29.1
|May high F = 49.8
|Jun high F = 65.5
|Jul high F = 68.8
|Aug high F = 64.1
|Sep high F = 51.4
|Oct high F = 28.8
|Nov high F = 11.2
|Dec high F = 1.7
|year high F = 32.4
|Jan mean F = -7.3
|Feb mean F = -9.5
|Mar mean F = -0.1
|Apr mean F = 16.0
|May mean F = 39.2
|Jun mean F = 54.1
|Jul mean F = 57.6
|Aug mean F = 53.7
|Sep mean F = 42.2
|Oct mean F = 19.9
|Nov mean F = 3.7
|Dec mean F = -9.3
|year mean F = 21.7
|Jan low F = -18.7
|Feb low F = -20.4
|Mar low F = -12.2
|Apr low F = 5.3
|May low F = 27.0
|Jun low F = 41.6
|Jul low F = 45.1
|Aug low F = 42.3
|Sep low F = 32.1
|Oct low F = 11.8
|Nov low F = -6.0
|Dec low F = -18.4
|year low F = 10.9
|Jan avg record low F = -53.6
|Feb avg record low F = -55.1
|Mar avg record low F = -48.4
|Apr avg record low F = -31.2
|May avg record low F = 11.6
|Jun avg record low F = 29.3
|Jul avg record low F = 34.1
|Aug avg record low F = 26.7
|Sep avg record low F = 12.0
|Oct avg record low F = -18.8
|Nov avg record low F = -35.8
|Dec avg record low F = -51.8
|year avg record low F = -58.1
|Jan record low F = -65
|Feb record low F = -65
|Mar record low F = -68
|Apr record low F = -41
|May record low F = -16
|Jun record low F = 19
|Jul record low F = 29
|Aug record low F = 19
|Sep record low F = -5
|Oct record low F = -42
|Nov record low F = -59
|Dec record low F = -60
|year record low F = -68
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.54
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.42
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.55
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.66
|May precipitation inch = 0.85
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.78
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.11
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.42
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.67
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.05
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.95
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.69
|year precipitation inch = 16.69
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 inch
|Jan precipitation days = 5.1
|Feb precipitation days = 3.4
|Mar precipitation days = 4.8
|Apr precipitation days = 5.9
|May precipitation days = 5.3
|Jun precipitation days = 8.6
|Jul precipitation days = 11.2
|Aug precipitation days = 14.1
|Sep precipitation days = 11.2
|Oct precipitation days = 7.1
|Nov precipitation days = 7.8
|Dec precipitation days = 6.2
|year precipitation days = 90.7
|Jan snow inch = 6.8
|Feb snow inch = 4.4
|Mar snow inch = 6.1
|Apr snow inch = 4.7
|May snow inch = 0.7
|Jun snow inch = 0.1
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 1.9
|Oct snow inch = 6.9
|Nov snow inch = 11.7
|Dec snow inch = 7.6
|year snow inch = 50.9
|unit snow days = 0.1 inch
|Jan snow days = 3.8
|Feb snow days = 2.6
|Mar snow days = 4.0
|Apr snow days = 3.5
|May snow days = 0.6
|Jun snow days = 0.1
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 1.0
|Oct snow days = 3.7
|Nov snow days = 6.3
|Dec snow days = 4.5
|year snow days = 30.1
|source 1 = WRCC<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMtM.pl?ak4964
|title = 1961-1990 Monthly Climate Summary, KOBUK, ALASKA (504964)
|publisher = Western Regional Climate Center
|access-date = January 28, 2024
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240128023040/https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMtM.pl?ak4964
|archive-date = January 28, 2024}}</ref>
|source 2 = XMACIS (snowfall)<ref>[https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/ XMACIS]</ref>}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 210
|1920= 95
|1940= 31
|1950= 38
|1960= 54
|1970= 56
|1980= 62
|1990= 69
|2000= 109
|2010= 151
|2020= 191
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
Kobuk first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census under its previous name of Shungnak, an unincorporated village. It appeared again on the 1920 U.S. Census. With the departure of many residents in 1927 to the "New" Shungnak site, the old site was renamed Kobuk in 1928. It did not appear on the 1930 census, but did beginning again in 1940. In 1970, Kobuk was erroneously reported as the unincorporated "Shungnak Village" (not to be confused with its neighbor city). In 1973, Kobuk was formally incorporated and has reported as Kobuk in every successive census since 1980.<ref name="books.google.com"/>

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 109 people, 26 households, and 23 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|6.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 45 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 4.59% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 93.58% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.92% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.92% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]]. 4.59% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 26 households, out of which 61.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 30.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.5% were non-families. 11.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.19 and the average family size was 4.26.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 52.3% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 2.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 17 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,750, and the median income for a family was $20,313. Males had a median income of $71,250 versus $21,875 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $9,844. There were 32.0% of families and 28.6% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including 28.2% of under eighteens and 57.1% of those over 64.

==Education==
The Kobuk School, operated by the [[Northwest Arctic Borough School District]], serves the community. {{As of|2017}} it had 44 students, with [[Alaska Natives]] making up 100% of the student body.<ref>[http://www.nwarctic.org/Domain/19 Home]. Kobuk School. Retrieved on March 26, 2017.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Cities in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Mining communities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated places of the Arctic United States]]