Editing Upper Kalskag, Alaska

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Upper Kalskag, Alaska
|settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map              = USA Alaska
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in Alaska

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|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        = [[Bethel Census Area, Alaska|Bethel]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = John Evan<ref>{{Cite book|title=2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=Juneau|publisher=Alaska Municipal League|year=2015|page=159}}</ref>
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Lyman Hoffman]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
|leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name2             = [[Bryce Edgmon]] ([[Independent politician|I]])
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = February 13, 1975<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=155}}</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           = 10.36
|area_land_km2            = 9.21
|area_water_km2           = 1.15
|area_total_sq_mi         = 4.00
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.56
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.45

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 212
|population_density_km2   = 23.02
|population_density_sq_mi = 59.63
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 12
|elevation_ft             = 39
|coordinates              = {{coord|61|32|15|N|160|18|58|W|region:US-AK|display=inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99607
|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               = 02-81320
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|1404378}} 
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|unit_pref                = Imperial
}}

'''Upper Kalskag''' ({{langx|ru|Аппер-Калскаг}}) is a city in [[Bethel Census Area, Alaska|Bethel Census Area]], [[Alaska]], [[United States]]. It is thirty miles west of [[Aniak, Alaska|Aniak]]. At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] the population was 210, down from 230 in 2000.

== Culture and history ==
Upper Kalskag is a traditional [[Yup'ik]] village, with a culture centered on subsistence activities. The founding residents were from the native village of Kaltkhagamute, four miles down river. The Russian explorer [[Lavrenty Zagoskin]] reported a population of 120 in 1843 for Kaltkhagamute (Khalkagmute). Over the years, residents of [[Crow Village, Alaska|Crow Village]], [[Ohagamiut, Alaska|Ohagamiut]], [[Russian Mission, Alaska|Russian Mission]], and Paimute also moved to the village. Russian and American explorers brought both [[Roman Catholic]] and [[Russian Orthodox]] religious influences, but the village's Russian Orthodox practitioners left to establish [[Lower Kalskag, Alaska|Lower Kalskag]] 2 miles downriver in 1940. George Morgan, a German immigrant who founded [[Georgetown, Alaska|Georgetown]], established a general store and post office in 1932. Paul N. Kameroff Sr. also established a general store, a pool hall, and a coffee shop around 1930. The government school was built in that timeframe as well. The community once owned a herd of about 2000 [[porcupine caribou|caribou]].

==Geography==
Upper Kalskag is located at {{coord|61|32|15|N|160|18|58|W|type:city}} (61.537440, -160.316070).<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>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|4.1|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|3.8|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.3|sqmi|km2}} of it (8.47%) is water.

Upper Kalskag, referred to by the locals as just "Upper", is linked to [[Lower Kalskag, Alaska|Lower Kalskag]] (Lower) by a single two mile maintained gravel/dirt road.

Upper Kalskag is accessible only by small plane, boat, and automobile via the river "ice road" (Winter only). The ice road is constructed each winter from [[Aniak, Alaska|Aniak]] to [[Bethel, Alaska|Bethel]] by drilling and marking holes in the ice every 100 yards and subsequently marking and plowing a route on the river where the ice depth is sufficient.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1940= 70
|1950= 139
|1960= 147
|1970= 122
|1980= 129
|1990= 172
|2000= 230
|2010= 210
|2020= 212
|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>
}}
Upper Kalskag first reported on the 1940 U.S. Census erroneously as the unincorporated village of "Old Kalskag."<ref>{{Cite web |date=1980 |title=Historical Information Page 2 about "Old Kalskag" |url=http://edu.georgetowntc.com/our-courses/nuna-land/upper-kalskag-2/historical-information-page.html |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518055727/http://edu.georgetowntc.com/our-courses/nuna-land/upper-kalskag-2/historical-information-page.html |archive-date=May 18, 2018 |access-date=June 19, 2023 |website=georgetowntc.com |page=71}}</ref> The population was 70 instead of 76, while the population accredited to Upper Kalskag (then called "Kalskag") was actually for Lower Kalskag. It would continue to report as Kalskag on the census until it formally incorporate as Upper Kalskag in 1975.

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 230 people, 62 households, and 44 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|60.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 66 housing units at an average density of {{convert|17.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 8.70% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.43% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 85.65% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], and 5.22% from two or more races.

There were 62 households, out of which 56.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.71 and the average family size was 4.55.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 43.9% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 12.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.5 males.

The [[median income]] for a household in the city was $28,333, and the median income for a family was $32,708. Males had a median income of $16,667 versus $20,938 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $7,859. About 24.5% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 28.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 5.3% of those 65 or over.

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* Petroff, Ivan, (1884). "Report on the Population, Industries, and Resources of Alaska" Reprinted from U.S. 10th Census, Reports [1880] Washington, U.S. Census Office

{{Coord|display=title|61.53744|-160.31607}}
{{Bethel Census Area, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Bethel Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]