Editing Tok, Alaska

{{short description|Census-designated place in Alaska}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{redirect|Tok}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Tok, Alaska
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place|CDP]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Downtown Tok Alaska.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = AKMap-doton-Tok.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Tok, Alaska
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- 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        = [[Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska|Southeast Fairbanks]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name              = [[Click Bishop]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name1             = [[Mike Cronk]] (R)
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- 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 |access-date=October 29, 2021 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 345.82
|area_land_km2            = 345.82
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 133.52
|area_land_sq_mi          = 133.52
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1243
|population_density_km2   = 3.59
|population_density_sq_mi = 9.31

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 
|elevation_ft             = 1620 
|coordinates              = {{coord|63|19|27|N|143|1|5|W|region:US-AK|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99780
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-77800
|blank1_name              = 
|blank1_info              = 
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}

'''Tok''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|oʊ|k}} is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska]], United States. The population was 1,243 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], slightly down from 1,258 in 2010.<ref name="2020 Census Data">{{Cite web |title=2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places |url=https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/2020-census-data.html |access-date=December 5, 2021 |publisher=State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development |format=Web}}</ref>

==Geography==
Tok lies on a large, flat alluvial plain of the [[Tanana Valley]] between the [[Tanana River]] and the [[Alaska Range]] at an important junction of the [[Alaska Highway]] ([[Alaska Route 2]]) with the [[Glenn Highway]] ([[Alaska Route 1]]). According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|132.3|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land.

===Climate===
Tok has a dry-winter [[continental subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dwc'') with generally warm summers and severely cold winters. The weather station is at {{convert|1620|feet|m|0|disp=or}} above sea level.

{{Weather box|width = auto
|location = Tok, Alaska, 1991&ndash;2020 normals, extremes 1954&ndash;present 
|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 51
|Feb record high F = 43
|Mar record high F = 69
|Apr record high F = 74
|May record high F = 88
|Jun record high F = 96
|Jul record high F = 95
|Aug record high F = 93
|Sep record high F = 83
|Oct record high F = 67
|Nov record high F = 49
|Dec record high F = 40

|Jan avg record high F = 19.3
|Feb avg record high F = 29.1
|Mar avg record high F = 43.2
|Apr avg record high F = 61.2
|May avg record high F = 74.1
|Jun avg record high F = 83.9
|Jul avg record high F = 85.7
|Aug avg record high F = 81.2
|Sep avg record high F = 68.1
|Oct avg record high F = 49.8
|Nov avg record high F = 25.5
|Dec avg record high F = 19.3
|year avg record high F = 87.4

|Jan high F = -3.7
|Feb high F = 8.3
|Mar high F = 24.1
|Apr high F = 44.6
|May high F = 61.0
|Jun high F = 71.1
|Jul high F = 72.2
|Aug high F = 66.8
|Sep high F = 53.6
|Oct high F = 31.4
|Nov high F = 8.0
|Dec high F = -2.4
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = -11.9
|Feb mean F = -2.5
|Mar mean F = 9.6
|Apr mean F = 31.2
|May mean F = 45.9
|Jun mean F = 56.5
|Jul mean F = 59.1
|Aug mean F = 53.5
|Sep mean F = 42.1
|Oct mean F = 22.7
|Nov mean F = 0.0
|Dec mean F = -10.1
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = -20.0
|Feb low F = -13.2
|Mar low F = -4.9
|Apr low F = 17.7
|May low F = 30.8
|Jun low F = 41.9
|Jul low F = 46.0
|Aug low F = 40.2
|Sep low F = 30.6
|Oct low F = 14.0
|Nov low F = -7.9
|Dec low F = -17.7
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -48.6
|Feb avg record low F = -41.3
|Mar avg record low F = -30.2
|Apr avg record low F = -7.0
|May avg record low F = 19.4
|Jun avg record low F = 28.3
|Jul avg record low F = 34.1
|Aug avg record low F = 25.4
|Sep avg record low F = 15.6
|Oct avg record low F = -11.4
|Nov avg record low F = -33.3
|Dec avg record low F = -42.3
|year avg record low F = -54.5

|Jan record low F = -71
|Feb record low F = -67
|Mar record low F = -57
|Apr record low F = -33
|May record low F = 3
|Jun record low F = 16
|Jul record low F = 10
|Aug record low F = 13
|Sep record low F = -13
|Oct record low F = -41
|Nov record low F = -59
|Dec record low F = -70

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.43
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.21
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.20
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.21
|May precipitation inch = 0.87
|Jun precipitation inch = 2.37
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.29
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.32
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.95
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.55
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.62
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.58
|year precipitation inch = 10.60

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 2.7
|Feb precipitation days = 2.2
|Mar precipitation days = 2.3
|Apr precipitation days = 1.8
|May precipitation days = 4.9
|Jun precipitation days = 9.5
|Jul precipitation days = 10.6
|Aug precipitation days = 8.5
|Sep precipitation days = 6.4
|Oct precipitation days = 4.8
|Nov precipitation days = 4.5
|Dec precipitation days = 4.8
|year precipitation days = 63.0

|Jan snow inch = 4.9
|Feb snow inch = 3.5
|Mar snow inch = 3.3
|Apr snow inch = 2.4
|May snow inch = 0.9
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 1.8
|Oct snow inch = 4.9
|Nov snow inch = 8.2
|Dec snow inch = 7.7
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 2.8
|Feb snow days = 2.5
|Mar snow days = 2.0
|Apr snow days = 1.4
|May snow days = 0.4
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.9
|Oct snow days = 3.9
|Nov snow days = 4.4
|Dec snow days = 4.9

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name="NOAA">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Tok, AK |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00509313&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |access-date=March 6, 2023 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}</ref><ref name="XMACIS2">{{Cite web |title=xmACIS2 |url=https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/ |access-date=March 6, 2023 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1950= 104
|1960= 129
|1970= 214
|1980= 589
|1990= 935
|2000= 1393
|2010= 1258
|2020= 1243
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=June 6, 2013 |publisher=Census.gov}}</ref>
}}
Tok first appeared on the 1950 U.S. Census as the unincorporated village of "Tok Junction." The name was shortened to Tok as of the 1960 census. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980.

===2000 Census data===
As of the [[census]] of 2000,<ref name="GR2">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> there were 1,393 people, 534 households, and 372 families residing in the census designated place (CDP).  The population density was {{convert|10.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 748 housing units at an average density of {{convert|5.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the CDP was 78.03% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.14% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 12.85% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.43% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.93% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 7.61% from two or more races.  [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.08% of the population.

There were 534 households, out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 32.5% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.2 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,941, and the median income for a family was $49,219. Males had a median income of $45,375 versus $30,268 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $18,521.  About 9.5% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

== History ==
[[Image:Tok Alaska Burnt Paw.jpg|thumb|right|250px|''Burnt Paw'' in Tok]]

There have been [[Athabascan]]  settlements in the region of what is now Tok for many centuries.

The town at the present location of Tok began in 1942 as an [[Alaska Road Commission]] camp used for construction and maintenance of the [[Alaska Highway]]. So much money was spent in the camp's construction and maintenance that it earned the nickname "Million Dollar Camp" from those working on the highway.  In 1947 the first school opened, and in 1958 a larger school was built to accommodate the many newcomers. In 1995 a new school was opened to provide for the larger community. A [[United States Customs Service|U.S. Customs]] Office was located in Tok between 1947 and 1971, when it was moved to the [[Canada–United States border|Canada–US border]].

Between 1954 and 1979, an 8-inch U.S. Army fuel pipeline operated from the port of [[Haines, Alaska|Haines]] to [[Fairbanks, Alaska|Fairbanks]], with a pump station in Tok.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline |url=http://www.arlis.org/docs/vol1/AlaskaGas/Report4/Report_CEMML_2003_HainesFairbanksPipeline.pdf |access-date=April 2, 2024 |website=www.arlis.org}}</ref>

In July 1990 Tok faced extinction when a lightning-caused forest fire jumped two rivers and the Alaska Highway, putting both residents and buildings in peril. The town was evacuated and even the efforts of over a thousand firefighters could not stop the fire. At the last minute a "miracle wind" (so labeled by Tok's residents) came up, diverting the fire just short of the first building. The fire continued to burn the remainder of the summer, eventually burning more than {{convert|100,000|acre|km2}}.

On January 10, 2009, Tok made headlines with an unconfirmed temperature reading of {{convert|-80|F|C}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title='Cold' is a relative term |url=http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/648784.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030093649/http://www.adn.com/2009/01/10/648784/cold-is-a-relative-term.html |archive-date=October 30, 2013 |publisher=Anchorage Daily News}}</ref>

=== Etymology ===
In one version, the name Tok is derived from the Athabascan word for "peaceful crossing."  The U.S. Geological Survey notes that the name "Tok River" was in use for the nearby river around 1901, and the [[Athabaskan languages|Athabascan]] name of "Tokai" had been reported for the same river by Lt. Allen in 1887. In another version the name is derived from the English words "Tokyo camp", although the major war benefit was supporting the transfer of airplanes to the Soviet Union. Another version claims the name was derived from the canine mascot for one of the Engineer units that built the highways. The name has no connection to the western Alaskan community of [[Newtok]].

Another version comes from the proposed road construction of the highway to Richardson Highway. In the 1940s and 1950s, another highway, the [[Tok Cut-Off]] was constructed and connected Tok with the [[Richardson Highway]] at [[Glennallen, Alaska|Glennallen]].  It was a "cut-off" because it allowed motor travelers from the lower United States to travel to [[Valdez, Alaska|Valdez]] and [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]] in south-central Alaska without going further north to [[Delta Junction, Alaska|Delta Junction]] and then traveling south on the Richardson Highway. When originally being surveyed from the air, the map marking showed the "T" intersection, and the letters "OK" to confirm the location was suitable.

==Education==
Tok is part of the [[Alaska Gateway School District]]. Tok School, a K&ndash;12 campus, currently serves approximately 200 community students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alaska Gateway Schools |url=https://www.agsd.us/o/agsd/page/tok-school |access-date=November 25, 2020 |website=www.agsd.us}}</ref>
There is also a small [[University of Alaska]] office that provides distance and even some local classes for the small community.

==Health care==
Residents are primarily served by the Tok Clinic and EMS.  Roads connect Tok to both [[Fairbanks, Alaska|Fairbanks]] and [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]] (Alaska's two most populous cities), but the drive is approximately 3 hours 40 minutes or 6 hours 30 minutes, respectively. Therefore, once patients with serious medical conditions are stabilized, they are often airlifted to a hospital/medical center in Fairbanks (an approximately 1 hour 30 minute flight) if further treatment is needed.

== Economy ==
The most common occupations in Tok are in the construction, healthcare, and accommodation industries. The unemployment rate is 8%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Economy in Tok, Alaska |url=https://www.bestplaces.net/economy/city/alaska/tok |access-date=November 20, 2020 |website=BestPlaces}}</ref> Tok's economy is supported largely by tourism.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tok Junction |url=http://fairbanks-alaska.com/tok-junction-alaska.htm |access-date=November 21, 2020 |website=fairbanks-alaska.com}}</ref>

==Protected areas==
There are a number of state parks in the vicinity of Tok.

The '''Tok River State Recreation Site''' is a small, {{convert|9|acre}} park, {{convert|4.5|miles}} east of Tok; it has a small campground, trails, and river access for small boats. The area directly across the river from the park is part of the burned-over area still recovering from the 1990 wildfire.<ref>[http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/tokrvsrs.htm Tok River SRS], [[Alaska Department of Natural Resources]]</ref>

The '''Eagle Trail State Recreation Site''' is a {{convert|280|acres}} park, about {{convert|19|miles}} south of Tok, on the [[Tok Cutoff]]. The park has a campground and picnic areas, hiking trails, access to the historic [[Valdez-Eagle Trail]] and the high country of the [[Alaska Range]].<ref>[http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/eagletrailsrs.htm Eagle trail SRS], [[Alaska Department of Natural Resources]]</ref>

The '''Moon Lake State Recreation Site''' is a small, {{convert|22|acre}} park off the Alaska Highway, 15 miles northwest of Tok. It has a small campground, beach, boat launch for smaller boats, and is an active landing spot for [[floatplane]]s.<ref>[http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/moonlksrs.htm Moon Lake SRS], [[Alaska Department of Natural Resources]]</ref>

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://fairbanks-alaska.com/tok-junction-alaska.htm Tok (Tok Junction)]
*{{Wikivoyage inline|Tok}}

{{Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Tanana Athabaskans]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Unorganized Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1942]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in Alaska]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Alaska]]