Editing Russian Mission, Alaska

{{more footnotes needed|date=May 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement

|name                     = Russian Mission
|official_name            = Iqurmiut Traditional Council
|native_name              = Iqugmiut

| native_name_lang        = esu
|settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Russian Mission aerial view.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map              = USA Alaska
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in Alaska

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = {{flag|United States}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Alaska}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|Census Area]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska|Kusilvak]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[Alaska Native Regional Corporations|ANCSA regional corporation]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[Calista Corporation|Calista]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = [[Basil Changsak]]
|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             = [[Neal Foster]] (D)
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = October 28, 1970<ref>{{cite book|title=1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=[[Juneau]]|publisher=Alaska Municipal League/[[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development|Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs]]|date=January 1996|page=127}}</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           = 14.82
|area_land_km2            = 13.90
|area_water_km2           = 0.92
|area_total_sq_mi         = 5.72
|area_land_sq_mi          = 5.37
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.35

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 421
|population_density_km2   = 30.28
|population_density_sq_mi = 78.43
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 16
|elevation_ft             = 52
|coordinates              = {{coord|61|47|8|N|161|20|3|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99657
|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               = 02-65700
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = {{gnis4|1408925}}
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|unit_pref                = Imperial
}}

'''Russian Mission''' ({{langx|esu|Iqugmiut}}; {{langx|ru|Икогмют - Ikogmiut, now Рашен-Мишен}}) is a city in [[Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska]]. It was the location of a fur trading post of the [[Russian-American Company]] in 1842. After the sale of Russian-American possessions to the United States in 1867, it was officially named Russian Mission in the early 1900s. The sale of alcohol is prohibited. At the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] the population was 421, up from 312 in 2010.

==History==
The first Russian-American Company fur trading post on the Yukon River was established here in 1837. The settlement was recorded as a Cup'ik village called "Ikogmiut," meaning "people of the point," in 1842 by the Imperial Russian Navy explorer [[Lavrenty Zagoskin]].

The first Russian Orthodox mission in Interior Alaska was established here in 1851 by the Aleut priest [[Jacob Netsvetov]]. The mission was called "Pokrovskaya Mission," and the village name was changed to Russian Mission around 1900. It was often confused with a village on the Kuskokwim that was also called "Russian Mission" (or "Little Russian Mission") but which was renamed [[Chuathbaluk, Alaska|Chuathbaluk]] in the 1960s.

The city was incorporated in 1970.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=63e1d1bfc6784d8db178eb44ec20e3e3#|title=Russian Mission, Alaska|website=State of Alaska, Division of Community and Regional Affairs|language=en-US|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref>

==Geography and climate==
Russian Mission is located at {{coord|61|47|8|N|161|20|3|W|type:city}} (61.785522, -161.334074).<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>

Russian Mission is located on the right (western) bank of the [[Yukon River]] in the [[Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta]], 25 miles southeast of Marshall. It lies 70 air miles northeast of Bethel and 376 miles west of Anchorage.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|6.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|5.7|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.5|sqmi|km2}} of it (8.27%) is water.

Russian Mission falls within the transitional climate zone, characterized by tundra interspersed with boreal forests, and weather patterns of long, cold winters and shorter, warm summers. Heavy northern winds often limit air access in the fall and winter. The Lower Yukon is ice-free from mid-June through October.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=63e1d1bfc6784d8db178eb44ec20e3e3#|title=Russian Mission, Alaska|website=State of Alaska, Division of Community and Regional Affairs|language=en-US|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref>

Russian Mission has a [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Koppen]]: Dfc) with mild summers and long, snowy winters with annual snowfall averaging {{convert|71|in|cm}}.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RUSSIAN MISSION, ALASKA - Climate Summary|url=https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ak8054|website=wrcc.dri.edu|access-date=May 31, 2020}}</ref>

{{Weather box 
|single line = yes 
|collapsed = yes
|location = Russian Mission (1961–1990 normals, extremes 1928–1987)
|Jan record high F = 48
|Feb record high F = 45
|Mar record high F = 45
|Apr record high F = 60
|May record high F = 79
|Jun record high F = 80
|Jul record high F = 86
|Aug record high F = 82
|Sep record high F = 70
|Oct record high F = 59
|Nov record high F = 48
|Dec record high F = 48
|Jan avg record high F = 35.4
|Feb avg record high F = 34.6
|Mar avg record high F = 40.0
|Apr avg record high F = 47.1
|May avg record high F = 64.8
|Jun avg record high F = 74.2
|Jul avg record high F = 77.2
|Aug avg record high F = 70.7
|Sep avg record high F = 63.1
|Oct avg record high F = 48.9
|Nov avg record high F = 38.8
|Dec avg record high F = 37.5
|year avg record high F = 79.2
|Jan high F = 13.7
|Feb high F = 14.6
|Mar high F = 24.4
|Apr high F = 33.5
|May high F = 50.1
|Jun high F = 60.1
|Jul high F = 63.6
|Aug high F = 60.5
|Sep high F = 51.7
|Oct high F = 35.4
|Nov high F = 22.5
|Dec high F = 15.7
|year high F = 37.3
|Jan mean F = 4.3
|Feb mean F = 5.4
|Mar mean F = 15.6
|Apr mean F = 21.7
|May mean F = 40.3
|Jun mean F = 50.5
|Jul mean F = 54.5
|Aug mean F = 51.2
|Sep mean F = 43.2
|Oct mean F = 27.2
|Nov mean F = 16.8
|Dec mean F = 6.7
|year mean F = 28.1
|Jan low F = -4.3
|Feb low F = -4.2
|Mar low F = 2.5
|Apr low F = 12.0
|May low F = 29.6
|Jun low F = 40.5
|Jul low F = 45.0
|Aug low F = 42.8
|Sep low F = 34.4
|Oct low F = 20.7
|Nov low F = 7.6
|Dec low F = -1.4
|year low F = 18.9
|Jan avg record low F = -33.5
|Feb avg record low F = -33.4
|Mar avg record low F = -20.5
|Apr avg record low F = -12.4
|May avg record low F = 14.7
|Jun avg record low F = 28.1
|Jul avg record low F = 34.1
|Aug avg record low F = 29.1
|Sep avg record low F = 21.1
|Oct avg record low F = -0.9
|Nov avg record low F = -12.9
|Dec avg record low F = -30.7
|year avg record low F = -39.4
|Jan record low F = -54
|Feb record low F = -50
|Mar record low F = -52
|Apr record low F = -38
|May record low F = -21
|Jun record low F = 10
|Jul record low F = 27
|Aug record low F = 21
|Sep record low F = 13
|Oct record low F = -20
|Nov record low F = -31
|Dec record low F = -44
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.41
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.89
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.10
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.07
|May precipitation inch = 1.01
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.56
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.48
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.95
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.39
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.10
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.84
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.90
|year precipitation inch = 20.71
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 inch
|Jan precipitation days = 7.1
|Feb precipitation days = 4.5
|Mar precipitation days = 5.9
|Apr precipitation days = 5.8
|May precipitation days = 6.9
|Jun precipitation days = 9.9
|Jul precipitation days = 13.8
|Aug precipitation days = 13.5
|Sep precipitation days = 12.4
|Oct precipitation days = 8.7
|Nov precipitation days = 7.6
|Dec precipitation days = 8.8
|year precipitation days = 104.9
|Jan snow inch = 16.5
|Feb snow inch = 5.7
|Mar snow inch = 7.9
|Apr snow inch = 7.1
|May snow inch = 0.2
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 3.0
|Nov snow inch = 13.1
|Dec snow inch = 16.3
|year snow inch = 69.8
|unit snow days = 0.1 inch
|Jan snow days = 7.4
|Feb snow days = 4.1
|Mar snow days = 5.9
|Apr snow days = 3.5
|May snow days = 0.3
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 1.8
|Nov snow days = 7.1
|Dec snow days = 7.7
|year snow days = 37.8
|source 1 = WRCC<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMtM.pl?ak8054
|title = 1961-1990 Monthly Climate Summary, RUSSIAN MISSION, ALASKA (508054)
|publisher = Western Regional Climate Center
|access-date = January 28, 2024
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240128043508/https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMtM.pl?ak8054
|archive-date = January 28, 2024}}</ref>
|source 2 = XMACIS (snowfall)<ref>[https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/ XMACIS]</ref>}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 148
|1890= 140
|1900= 166
|1920= 90
|1930= 54
|1940= 34
|1950= 55
|1960= 102
|1970= 146
|1980= 169
|1990= 246
|2000= 296
|2010= 312
|2020= 421
|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>
}}
Russian Mission first reported on the 1880 U.S. Census as Ikogmute Mission, an unincorporated Inuit village & Russian Orthodox Mission.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistics of the Population of Alaska |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-17.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1880}}</ref> It appeared on the 1890 census as "Ikogmiut", but included the nearby village of "Pokrovskaia" (called Pogoreshapka on the 1880 U.S. Census).<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CRcwAAAAYAAJ&q=ikogmiut&pg=RA2-PA164 |title = Report on Population and Resources of Alaska at the Eleventh Census, 1890|year = 1893|last1 = Census Office|first1 = United States}}</ref> In 1900, it was returned again as Ikogmute Mission.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistics of Population - Populations of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1890 and 1900 |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/33405927v1ch07.pdf |page=426 |date=1900}}</ref> In 1920, it would be officially returned as Russian Mission. It would formally incorporate in 1970.

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 296 people, 70 households, and 60 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|52.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 81 housing units at an average density of {{convert|14.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 93.92% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]] and 6.08% [[Race (United States Census)|White]].

There were 70 households, out of which 67.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 24.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.9% were non-families . 10.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.23 and the average family size was 4.51.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 48.0% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 11.5% from 45 to 64, and 4.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 19 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,500, and the median income for a family was $22,500. Males had a median income of $17,083 versus $13,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $8,358. About 15.6% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 21.7% of those under the age of eighteen and 15.4% of those 65 or over.

Most residents are Russian Orthodox, with a Roman Catholic minority.

==Transportation==
Russian Mission is served by [[Russian Mission Airport]]. Passengers, mail, and light goods arrive primarily by air. A gravel airstrip and seaplane landing area are owned and operated by the state. Scheduled daily flights are available.

Russian Mission's location on the Yukon River allows barge and small boat travel during the summer.

Snowmachines are used in inter-village transportation in the winter, and a trail is marked to [[Upper Kalskag, Alaska|Kalskag]].

==Education==
K-12 students attend Russian Mission School, operated by the [[Lower Yukon School District]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Cities in Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Russian-American culture in Alaska]]
[[Category:Yukon River]]