Editing Nulato, Alaska

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Nulato
|native_name              = Noolaaghe Doh
     
| native_name_lang        = koy
|settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = <!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = File:Alaska - Nulato - NARA - 23942227.jpg
|imagesize                = 300px
|image_caption            = Nulato in the 1940s
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map  = USA Alaska
|pushpin_map_caption  = Location in 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|Census Area]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska|Yukon-Koyukuk]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Maurice McGinty<ref>{{Cite book|title=2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=Juneau|publisher=Alaska Municipal League|year=2015|page=117}}</ref>
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Click Bishop]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
|leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name2             = [[Mike Cronk]] (R)
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = April 22, 1963<ref>{{cite journal|title=Directory of Borough and City Officials 1974|journal=Alaska Local Government|volume=XIII|issue=2|page=61|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           = 113.40
|area_land_km2            = 106.43
|area_water_km2           = 6.98
|area_total_sq_mi         = 43.79
|area_land_sq_mi          = 41.09
|area_water_sq_mi         = 2.69

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 239
|population_density_km2   = 2.25
|population_density_sq_mi = 5.82
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 35
|elevation_ft             = 115
|coordinates              = {{coord|64|43|48|N|158|6|51|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99765
|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               = 02-56350
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|1407321}}  
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Nulato''' ({{IPAc-en|n|uː|ˈ|l|æ|t|oʊ}}; {{lang|koy|Noolaaghe Doh}} {{IPA|/nuːlaːɣə tɔːχ/}} "chum salmon fish camp" in [[Koyukon language|Koyukon]]; {{langx|ru|Нулато}}) is a city in [[Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska]], United States. At the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 239.

== History ==
[[File:Woodyard and Nulato, Alaska circa 1908.jpg|thumb|left|Woodyard and Nulato, Alaska circa 1908]]
Nulato was a location for trade between the [[Koyukon people]] and [[Inupiat people]] of the [[Kobuk River]] area before the arrival of Europeans.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

In 1838, the Russian explorer Malakov established a trading post in Nulato.<ref name="ReferenceA">National Geographic, The Making of America, Alaska, (map), Wilbur E. Garrett, Editor, John B. Garver Jr., Chief Cartographer, John F. Shupe, Associate Chief, January 1984</ref>

The Kokukuk River people massacred a large part of the population of Nulato on February 16, 1851, during the [[Athapaskan uprising]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

After the [[Alaska Purchase]], a United States military telegraph line was constructed along the north side of the Yukon River. The gold rush along the Yukon River that began in 1884 brought many new diseases to the area and many people died. Our Lady of Snows [[Roman Catholic]] mission and school were opened in 1887 and many people moved to Nulato to be near the school. A measles epidemic and food shortages during 1900 reduced the population of the area by one-third. 1900 was also the peak year for steamboat travel on the Yukon River, with 46 boats in operation. That summer, two boats per day stopped at Nulato to purchase firewood.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

Gold prospectors left the Yukon River area for [[Fairbanks, Alaska|Fairbanks]] and [[Nome, Alaska|Nome]] in 1906. Lead mining began around neighboring Galena in 1919.<ref name="lead">{{cite web|url=https://alaska.guide/City/Galena|title=Alaska Guide - Galena|access-date=January 8, 2021}}</ref>

Nulato incorporated as a city in 1963. In 1981, housing was built at a new townsite {{convert|3|km|mi|abbr=on}} from present Nulato.<ref name="housing">{{cite web|url=http://www.ganaayoo.com/about-gsc/nulato/|title=Native Heritage & Russian Roots - Nulato|access-date=January 8, 2021}}</ref>

==Geography==
Nulato is located at {{Coord|64|43|48|N|158|6|51|W|type:city}} (64.730011, -158.114101).<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>

Nulato is on the west bank of the [[Yukon River]], {{convert|53|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of [[Galena, Alaska|Galena]], in the Nulato Hills. It is across the Yukon River from the [[Innoko National Wildlife Refuge]].The area experiences a cold, continental climate with extreme temperature differences. Temperatures range from {{convert|-70|F}} to {{convert|80|F}}.  Average precipitation is {{convert|15.6|inch}}, with {{convert|74|inch}} of snowfall annually.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|44.8|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|42.7|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|2.0|sqmi|km2}} of it (4.56%) is water.

==Transportation==
The town is serviced by [[Nulato Airport]] which has regularly scheduled flights to [[Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport|Galena]], [[Kaltag Airport|Kaltag]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.frontierflying.com/timetable-ffs.pdf | title = 2007 Timetable | publisher = Frontier Flying Service | access-date = August 31, 2007 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070730112912/http://www.frontierflying.com/timetable-ffs.pdf | archive-date = July 30, 2007 }}</ref> and [[Koyukuk Airport|Koyukuk]].

==Education==
The [[Yukon–Koyukuk School District]] operates the Andrew K. Demoski School in Nulato.<ref>"[http://www.yksd.com/domain/31 Andrew K. Demoski School, Nulato]." [[Yukon–Koyukuk School District]]. Retrieved on June 16, 2016.</ref>

==Culture==
Every other year, the people gather in Nulato to attend the week-long [[Stick Dance]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>  It is celebrated on the years that it is not held in [[Kaltag, Alaska]]. People from all over the [[Athabascan]] region gather in the small village to attend the sacred dance that is done to celebrate the lives of lost loved ones and to appreciate the people that helped the family through the mourning process. This ceremony was started by a couple that lost their family in a tragic accident centuries ago. Friday night of the stick dance is the largest and most powerful night of that week, on this particular night the attendees sing 14 sacred songs and dance. This particular dance is called in the Athabascan language Meyegha Doh Sealyihe (the dance before the stick dance) after this dance they put a decorated stick up in the center of the gathering place and chant while going around the stick (chants- Heeyo Heeyo Heeyo Hey Heeyo Heeyo Heeyo Hey).  Nulato residents are predominantly [[Koyukon]] Athabascan with trapping and subsistence lifestyle.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 118
|1900= 281
|1910= 230
|1920= 258
|1930= 204
|1940= 113
|1950= 176
|1960= 283
|1970= 308
|1980= 350
|1990= 359
|2000= 336
|2010= 264
|2020= 239
|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>
}}

Nulato residents are predominantly [[Koyukon]], an [[Alaska Native]] [[Alaskan Athabaskans|Athabaskan]] people of the [[Athabaskan languages|Athabaskan-speaking]] ethnolinguistic group.

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 336 people, 91 households, and 71 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|7.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 119 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 5.06% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 92.86% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.60% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.49% from two or more races.  0.60% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 91 households, out of which 51.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.3% were married couples living together, 27.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 3.69 and the average family size was 4.13.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 41.7% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,114, and the median income for a family was $26,944. Males had a median income of $24,375 versus $25,313 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $8,966.  About 16.7% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

===Koyukon Athabascans===
The [[Koyukon people|Koyukon Athabascans]] had seasonal camps in this area and moved when the wild game migrated. There were 12 summer fish camps located on the [[Yukon River]] between the [[Koyukuk River]] and the [[Nowitna River]].

==Notable people==
* [[Poldine Carlo]] (1920–2018), Koyukon Athabascan author, born in Nulato
* [[Michael J. Stickman]], First Chief of the [[Nulato Tribal Council]]

==References==
<references />

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.nulatotribe.org Nulato Tribal Council]

{{Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Koyukon]]
[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Cities in Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Yukon River]]