Chatanika was one of over a dozen small communities in the vicinity of Fairbanks whose prosperity was tied to gold mining during the Fairbanks Gold Rush. Chatanika, as the northern terminus of the narrow-gauge Tanana Valley Railroad, also owed much of its early prosperity to railroad operations, which were closely tied to the mining activity. Chatanika, along with Fox, are the only two of the numerous communities in the hills immediately north of Fairbanks which has managed to remain populated and maintain a distinct community identity.
A mining settlement established about 1904, it received a railroad station when the Tanana Valley Railroad was completed in 1907. The Chatanika post office was established in 1908.[1]
Chatanika first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village.[3] It did not appear on the 1920 census.[4] It appeared again in 1930[5] as Chatanika River, but the name was restored to Chatanika in 1940.[6] That was the last time it appeared on the census to date (as of 2010).
Located 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the confluence of Cleary Creek and the Chatanika River, Chatanika lies 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Fairbanks. Its altitude is 896 feet (273 m).[1]
Gold dredgeedit
Gold mining dredge in Chatanika, AlaskaThe dredge in 2017, after the fire
The Chatanika gold dredge was a historic relic of gold dredge #3 owned and operated by F.E. Company between 1928 and 1958. The dredge is located at about 27.5 miles (44.3 km) along the Steese Highway east of Fairbanks in a 60 acres (24 ha) pond it dug itself, directly across the road from the Chatanika Lodge. The dredge was private property and off-limits to the public.[7] In August 2013 an accidental fire destroyed the dredge.[8]
^"U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
^"Supplement for Alaska - Population, Agriculture, Manufactures, Mines, and Quarries" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
^"Population of Outlying Possessions by Civil Divisions: 1920 and earlier years" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1920. pp. 680 & 681.
^"Population - Alaska" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
^"Alaska - Number of Inhabitants" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
^Fairbanks, Alaska Information Site (F.E. Company page)
^Friedman, Sam Historic Gold Dredge No. 3 destroyed by fire; 2nd fire reported at Mile 47 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 8/4/2013
December 02, 2023
chatanika, alaska, chatanika, small, unincorporated, community, located, fairbanks, north, star, borough, alaska, united, states, north, northeast, city, fairbanks, community, runs, along, approximately, mile, stretch, steese, highway, majority, which, sees, h. Chatanika ˌ tʃ ae t e ˈ n iː k e is a small unincorporated community located in the Fairbanks North Star Borough Alaska United States north northeast of the city of Fairbanks The community runs along an approximately 20 mile 32 km stretch of the Steese Highway the majority of which sees the highway paralleled by the Chatanika River The community consists of sparsely scattered residential subdivisions several roadside businesses a boat launch where the Steese Highway crosses the Chatanika River relics of past gold mining operations in the area and the Poker Flat Research Range operated by the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Chatanika AlaskaTrain of the Tanana Valley Railroad at the station in Chatanika Alaska 1916ChatanikaLocation in the U S state of AlaskaCoordinates USGS GNIS 1400167 65 06 44 N 147 28 38 W 65 11222 N 147 47722 W 65 11222 147 47722CountryUnited StatesStateAlaskaBoroughFairbanks North StarTownshipT N R W MeridianSettled1904Named forChatanika RiverGovernment Borough mayorBryce J Ward State senatorClick Bishop R State rep Dave Talerico R Elevation 1 896 ft 273 m Time zoneUTC 9 Alaska AKST Summer DST UTC 8 AKDT ZIP code99712Area code907 local exchange phones use the 389 prefix FIPS code02 12460GNIS feature ID1400167Chatanika was one of over a dozen small communities in the vicinity of Fairbanks whose prosperity was tied to gold mining during the Fairbanks Gold Rush Chatanika as the northern terminus of the narrow gauge Tanana Valley Railroad also owed much of its early prosperity to railroad operations which were closely tied to the mining activity Chatanika along with Fox are the only two of the numerous communities in the hills immediately north of Fairbanks which has managed to remain populated and maintain a distinct community identity Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 2 1 Etymology 3 Geography 4 Gold dredge 5 ReferencesHistory editSee also Chatanika Gold Camp A mining settlement established about 1904 it received a railroad station when the Tanana Valley Railroad was completed in 1907 The Chatanika post office was established in 1908 1 Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 1910193 193063 194010668 3 U S Decennial Census 2 Chatanika first appeared on the 1910 U S Census as an unincorporated village 3 It did not appear on the 1920 census 4 It appeared again in 1930 5 as Chatanika River but the name was restored to Chatanika in 1940 6 That was the last time it appeared on the census to date as of 2010 Etymology edit The community was named after the Chatanika River 1 Geography editLocated 2 miles 3 2 km east of the confluence of Cleary Creek and the Chatanika River Chatanika lies 20 miles 32 km northeast of Fairbanks Its altitude is 896 feet 273 m 1 Gold dredge edit nbsp Gold mining dredge in Chatanika Alaska nbsp The dredge in 2017 after the fireThe Chatanika gold dredge was a historic relic of gold dredge 3 owned and operated by F E Company between 1928 and 1958 The dredge is located at about 27 5 miles 44 3 km along the Steese Highway east of Fairbanks in a 60 acres 24 ha pond it dug itself directly across the road from the Chatanika Lodge The dredge was private property and off limits to the public 7 In August 2013 an accidental fire destroyed the dredge 8 References edit a b c d Chatanika Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Retrieved May 4 2009 U S Decennial Census Census gov Retrieved June 6 2013 Supplement for Alaska Population Agriculture Manufactures Mines and Quarries PDF United States Census Bureau 1910 Population of Outlying Possessions by Civil Divisions 1920 and earlier years PDF United States Census Bureau 1920 pp 680 amp 681 Population Alaska PDF United States Census Bureau 1930 Alaska Number of Inhabitants PDF United States Census Bureau 1940 Fairbanks Alaska Information Site F E Company page Friedman Sam Historic Gold Dredge No 3 destroyed by fire 2nd fire reported at Mile 47 Fairbanks Daily News Miner 8 4 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chatanika Alaska amp oldid 1166694656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
