Editing Tonsina, Alaska

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = AKMap-doton-Tonsina.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Tonsina, 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        = [[Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska|Valdez-Cordova]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Alaska Senate|State senators]]
|leader_name              = [[Click Bishop]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])<br>[[Mike Shower]] (R)
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State reps.]]
|leader_name1             = [[Mike Cronk]] (R)<br>[[George Rauscher]] (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|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 412.45
|area_land_km2            = 411.79
|area_water_km2           = 0.66
|area_total_sq_mi         = 159.25
|area_land_sq_mi          = 158.99
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.26

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 55
|population_density_km2   = 0.13
|population_density_sq_mi = 0.35

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 477
|elevation_ft             = 1565
|coordinates              = {{coord|61|39|43|N|145|10|39|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = 
|postal_code              = 
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-78350
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1411105
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Tonsina''' {{IPAc-en|t|ɒ|n|ˈ|s|iː|n|ə}} is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Copper River Census Area, Alaska]], United States. At the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] the population was 55, down from 78 in 2010.<ref name="2020 Census Data">{{cite web | url = https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/2020-census-data.html | title = 2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places | format = Web | publisher = State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development | access-date = December 5, 2021}}</ref>

Tonsina is part of the [[Copper River (Alaska)|Copper River Valley]] area. The centerpiece of Tonsina valley is the Tonsina River Lodge. This roadhouse alongside the [[Richardson Highway]] consists of a bar, restaurant, gas station, convenience and liquor store, laundromat and showers. There is also a camping area, RV park and motel. A main attraction of the roadhouse is the historic hotel.

The Tonsina River Lodge is a rambling, shambling, gravel-covered spread, with weatherbeaten buildings. The historic hotel is an orange, three story Army barracks with a red tin roof. It once was a brothel. The lodge is at the end of an airplane runway. The lodge sits in the foothills of several towering, snow-capped mountain ranges, next to a stream. In 2006, the flooding from the stream took out the two-lane concrete bridge that crosses the stream. Connecting [[Valdez, Alaska|Valdez]] to [[Anchorage]], the Richardson Highway bridge was repaired in two weeks.

==Geography==
Tonsina is located at {{coord|61|39|43|N|145|10|39|W|type:city}} (61.661883, -145.177582).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|148.0|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|147.8|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi|km2}} of it (0.13%) is water.

==Climate==
Tonsina has a [[continental subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dfc'').

{{Weather box
|location = Tonsina, Alaska (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1907–2014)
|single line = Y
|collapsed = Y
|Jan record high F = 46
|Feb record high F = 48
|Mar record high F = 54
|Apr record high F = 69
|May record high F = 79
|Jun record high F = 90
|Jul record high F = 88
|Aug record high F = 88
|Sep record high F = 79
|Oct record high F = 67
|Nov record high F = 51
|Dec record high F = 50
|year record high F = 90
|Jan avg record high F = 32.0
|Feb avg record high F = 36.6
|Mar avg record high F = 44.1
|Apr avg record high F = 57.6
|May avg record high F = 72.6
|Jun avg record high F = 81.6
|Jul avg record high F = 81.7
|Aug avg record high F = 77.4
|Sep avg record high F = 64.5
|Oct avg record high F = 51.5
|Nov avg record high F = 34.0
|Dec avg record high F = 32.2
|year avg record high F = 84.3
|Jan high F = 4.9
|Feb high F = 17.1
|Mar high F = 29.0
|Apr high F = 44.5
|May high F = 57.3
|Jun high F = 66.6
|Jul high F = 69.6
|Aug high F = 64.8
|Sep high F = 53.6
|Oct high F = 35.7
|Nov high F = 14.7
|Dec high F = 6.6
|year high F = 38.7
|Jan mean F = -2.3
|Feb mean F = 6.0
|Mar mean F = 14.0
|Apr mean F = 31.6
|May mean F = 43.9
|Jun mean F = 53.2
|Jul mean F = 57.1
|Aug mean F = 52.4
|Sep mean F = 42.3
|Oct mean F = 26.5
|Nov mean F = 7.4
|Dec mean F = -0.5
|year mean F = 27.6
|Jan low F = -9.5
|Feb low F = -5.1
|Mar low F = -1.0
|Apr low F = 18.6
|May low F = 30.6
|Jun low F = 39.7
|Jul low F = 44.6
|Aug low F = 40.0
|Sep low F = 30.9
|Oct low F = 17.3
|Nov low F = 0.2
|Dec low F = -7.6
|year low F = 16.6
|Jan avg record low F = -37.2
|Feb avg record low F = -27.1
|Mar avg record low F = -22.0
|Apr avg record low F = 0.6
|May avg record low F = 22.1
|Jun avg record low F = 28.2
|Jul avg record low F = 33.8
|Aug avg record low F = 28.4
|Sep avg record low F = 16.9
|Oct avg record low F = -2.9
|Nov avg record low F = -21.4
|Dec avg record low F = -31.0
|year avg record low F = -43.0
|Jan record low F = -60
|Feb record low F = -53
|Mar record low F = -46
|Apr record low F = -24
|May record low F = 6
|Jun record low F = 18
|Jul record low F = 26
|Aug record low F = 17
|Sep record low F = -1
|Oct record low F = -23
|Nov record low F = -42
|Dec record low F = -61
|year record low F = -61 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.06
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.01
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.45
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.17
|May precipitation inch = 0.48
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.42
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.79
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.76
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.50
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.04
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.27
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.30
|year precipitation inch = 13.25
|unit precipitation days = 0.01inch
|Jan precipitation days = 6.2
|Feb precipitation days = 6.1
|Mar precipitation days = 3.2
|Apr precipitation days = 2.0
|May precipitation days = 3.7
|Jun precipitation days = 7.8
|Jul precipitation days = 10.3
|Aug precipitation days = 11.6
|Sep precipitation days = 10.0
|Oct precipitation days = 8.2
|Nov precipitation days = 7.7
|Dec precipitation days = 7.1
|year precipitation days = 83.9
|Jan snow inch = 9.3
|Feb snow inch = 12.4
|Mar snow inch = 6.0
|Apr snow inch = 2.2
|May snow inch = 0.4
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 1.6
|Oct snow inch = 9.1
|Nov snow inch = 17.0
|Dec snow inch = 13.8
|year snow inch = 71.8
|unit snow days = 0.1inch
|Jan snow days = 5.8
|Feb snow days = 5.5
|Mar snow days = 3.2
|Apr snow days = 1.5
|May snow days = 0.2
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.8
|Oct snow days = 4.6
|Nov snow days = 6.9
|Dec snow days = 6.7
|year snow days = 35.2
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00509385&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title=Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020
|publisher=[[NOAA]]
|access-date=May 27, 2023
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527063155/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00509385&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|archive-date=May 27, 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = WRCC<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ak9385 |title=TONSINA, AK (509385) |accessdate=November 22, 2015 |publisher=Western Regional Climate Center }}</ref>
|date=November 2015
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1980= 135
|1990= 38
|2000= 92
|2010= 78
|2020= 55
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
}}
Tonsina first appeared on the 1980 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 92 people, 34 households, and 21 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|0.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 45 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.78% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 2.17% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 9.78% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]] and 3.26% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]].

There were 34 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 2.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 32.6% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 17.4% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 142.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,188, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $58,000 versus $25,000 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $13,390. There were 7.4% of families and 6.7% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

==Parks==
The '''Squirrel Creek State Recreation Site''' is a small {{convert|160|acre}} park on the banks of the Tonsina. The park has a campground, and access to the river, a creek, and a small lake, offering fishing for various species of trout and salmon.<ref>[http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/squircksrs.htm Squirrel Creek SRS], [[Alaska Department of Natural Resources]]</ref><ref>[[The Milepost]], 2018 edition, page 434 {{ISBN|9781892154378}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Mount Billy Mitchell (Chugach Mountains)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Copper River Census Area, Alaska}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Copper River Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Unorganized Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Ahtna]]