| |
Quinhagak
(QUINN-uh-hawk); var. Kwinhagak
For Photos of Quinhagak click here
For a Map of Quinhagak click here
| Current Population: |
661
(2008 DCCED Certified Population)
|
| Incorporation Type: |
2nd Class City |
| Borough Located In: |
Unorganized |
| Taxes: |
Sales: 3%,
Property: None, Special: None
|
| Coastal Management District: |
Ceñaliulriit CRSA |
|
| Location
and Climate |
|
Quinhagak is on the Kanektok River on the east shore of Kuskokwim Bay, less than a mile from the Bering Sea coast. It lies 71 miles southwest of Bethel. The community
lies at approximately 59.748890° North Latitude
and -161.915830° West Longitude.
(Sec. 17, T005S, R074W, Seward Meridian.)
Quinhagak is located in the
Bethel Recording District.
The area encompasses 4.7
sq. miles of land and 0.6 sq. miles
of water.
Quinhagak is located in a marine climate. Precipitation averages 22 inches a year, with 43 inches of snowfall annually. Summer temperatures average 41 to 57 °F, and winter temperatures average 6 to 24 °. Extremes have been measured from 82 to -34 °F. |
Topographic
map of
Quinhagak
area
 |
| History, Culture
and Demographics |
| The Yup'ik name is Kuinerraq, meaning "new river channel." Quinhagak is a long-established village whose origin has been dated to 1,000 A.D. It was the first village on the lower Kuskokwim to have sustained contact with whites. Gavril Sarichev reported the village on a map in 1826. After the purchase of Alaska in 1867, the Alaska Commercial Co. sent annual supply ships to Quinhagak with goods for Kuskokwim River trading posts. Supplies were lightered to shore from the ship and stored in a building on Warehouse Creek. A Moravian mission was built in 1893. There were many non-Natives in the village at that time; most were waiting for boats to go upriver. In 1904, a mission store opened, followed by a post office in 1905 and a school in 1909. Between 1906 and 1909, over 2,000 reindeer were brought in to the Quinhagak area. They were managed for a time by the Native-owned Kuskokwim Reindeer Company, but the herd had scattered by the 1950s. In 1915, the Kuskokwim River was charted, so goods were barged directly upriver to Bethel. In 1928, the first electric plant opened; the first mail plane arrived in 1934. The city was incorporated in 1975.
A federally-recognized tribe is located in the community -- the Native Village of Kwinhagak (aka Quinhagak).
The population of the community consists of 97.3%
Alaska Native or part Native.
The community is primarily Yup'ik Eskimos who fish commercially and are active in subsistence food gathering. The sale, importation, or possession of alcohol is banned in the village.
During the 2000 U.S. Census,
total housing units numbered 153, and vacant housing units numbered 16.
Vacant housing units used
only seasonally numbered 7.
U.S. Census data for Year
2000 showed 127 residents
as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was
15.44 percent,
although
65.11 percent of
all adults were not in the work force. The median household
income was $25,156, per capita income was $8,127, and
26.1 percent of residents
were living below the poverty level.
|
| Facilities,
Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| All services are provided by the Native Village of Kwinhagak, under agreement with the city. Water is derived from a well near the Kenektok River. Forty homes are served by a flush/haul system. An old BIA building has been renovated as a new washeteria and health clinic. The school and washeteria are connected directly to the water plant. 89 households still haul water and use honeybuckets.
Electricity is provided by AVEC.
There is one school located in the community,
attended by 214
students.
Local hospitals or health clinics include Quinhagak Clinic (907-556-8320).
Quinhagak is classified as an isolated village, it is found in EMS Region 7A in the Yukon/Kuskokwim Region. Emergency Services have coastal, air and floatplane access. Emergency service is provided by a health aide
Auxiliary health care is provided by Quinhagak EMS Quick Response Team (907-556-8448).
|
| Economy
and Transportation |
Most of the employment is with the school, government services, or commercial fishing. Trapping, basket weaving, skin sewing, and ivory carving also provide income. Subsistence remains an important part of residents' livelihoods; seal and salmon are staples of the diet. 87 residents hold commercial fishing permits for salmon net and herring roe fisheries. Coastal Villages Seafood LLC processes halibut and salmon in Quinhagak.
Quinhagak relies heavily on air transportation for passenger mail and cargo service. A state-owned 2,600' long by 60' wide gravel airstrip is available. A longer runway is nearly complete, which will enable direct flights to Anchorage. Float planes land on the Kanektok River. A harbor and dock were recently completed. Barges deliver heavy goods at least twice a year. Boats, ATVs, snow machines, and some vehicles are used for local transportation. Winter trails are marked to Eek (39 mi.) and Goodnews (39 mi.). |
Organizations
with Local Offices
City -
City of Quinhagak
P.O. Box 90
Quinhagak, AK 99655
Phone 907-556-8202
Fax 907-556-8166
E-mail fmoore.nvk@gmail.com
Web http://kwinhagak.org
Village Corporation -
Qanirtuuq, Incorporated
P.O. Box 69
Quinhagak, AK 99655
Phone 907-556-8289
Fax 907-556-8814
Village Council -
Native Village of Kwinhagak (IRA)
P.O. Box 149
Quinhagak, AK 99655
Phone 907-556-8165
Fax 907-556-8166
E-mail ljohnson@kwinhagak.org
Regional
Organizations
Regional Native Corporation - Calista Corporation
301 Calista Court, Suite A
Anchorage, AK 99518-3028
Phone 907-279-5516
Fax 907-272-5060
E-mail calista@calistacorp.com
Web http://www.calistacorp.com
Regional Native Health Corporation - Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp.
P.O. Box 528
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-6020
Fax 907-543-6006
E-mail gene_peltola@ykhc.org
Web http://www.ykhc.org/
CDQ Group - Coastal Villages Region Fund
711 H Street, Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99501-3461
Phone 907-278-5151
Fax 907-278-5150
E-mail morgen_c@coastalvillages.org
Web http://www.coastalvillages.org/
|
 |
|
