Ninilchik, Alaska
Ninilchik
Нинильчик Niqnalchint | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 02-54480 | |
Ninilchik (
It is considered an
The
Geography
Ninilchik is on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula on the coast of Cook Inlet, 38 miles (61 km) by air southwest of Kenai, and 100 miles (160 km) southwest of Anchorage. Road access is by the Sterling Highway. By actual road miles it is a distance of 188 miles (303 km) from Anchorage and 44 miles (71 km) from Homer.[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 207.2 square miles (536.7 km2), of which 0.03 square miles (0.07 km2), or 0.01%, are water.[2]
Climate
Ninilchik has a
Climate data for Ninilchik, Alaska (1940-1968 normals and extremes) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 45 (7) |
44 (7) |
46 (8) |
56 (13) |
68 (20) |
75 (24) |
74 (23) |
72 (22) |
66 (19) |
59 (15) |
47 (8) |
44 (7) |
75 (24) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 24.4 (−4.2) |
30.7 (−0.7) |
29.7 (−1.3) |
40.3 (4.6) |
52.2 (11.2) |
62.2 (16.8) |
61.4 (16.3) |
61.5 (16.4) |
54.9 (12.7) |
42.6 (5.9) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
23.0 (−5.0) |
42.7 (5.9) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 17.6 (−8.0) |
23.0 (−5.0) |
19.5 (−6.9) |
32.2 (0.1) |
43.3 (6.3) |
51.3 (10.7) |
52.5 (11.4) |
52.0 (11.1) |
45.6 (7.6) |
33.4 (0.8) |
21.4 (−5.9) |
16.5 (−8.6) |
34.0 (1.1) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 10.8 (−11.8) |
15.3 (−9.3) |
9.4 (−12.6) |
24.0 (−4.4) |
34.5 (1.4) |
40.3 (4.6) |
43.6 (6.4) |
42.5 (5.8) |
36.2 (2.3) |
24.2 (−4.3) |
13.8 (−10.1) |
10.1 (−12.2) |
25.4 (−3.7) |
Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) |
−22 (−30) |
−33 (−36) |
0 (−18) |
22 (−6) |
29 (−2) |
26 (−3) |
33 (1) |
24 (−4) |
0 (−18) |
−12 (−24) |
−32 (−36) |
−33 (−36) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.69 (43) |
1.28 (33) |
0.94 (24) |
1.50 (38) |
1.50 (38) |
1.22 (31) |
2.44 (62) |
3.41 (87) |
2.74 (70) |
2.68 (68) |
1.77 (45) |
2.07 (53) |
23.23 (590) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 13.3 (34) |
8.8 (22) |
12.7 (32) |
10.0 (25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.6 (6.6) |
9.0 (23) |
22.8 (58) |
79.2 (201) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 86 |
Source: WRCC[5] |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1880 | 53 | — | |
1890 | 81 | 52.8% | |
1920 | 87 | — | |
1930 | 124 | 42.5% | |
1940 | 132 | 6.5% | |
1950 | 97 | −26.5% | |
1960 | 169 | 74.2% | |
1970 | 134 | −20.7% | |
1980 | 341 | 154.5% | |
1990 | 456 | 33.7% | |
2000 | 772 | 69.3% | |
2010 | 883 | 14.4% | |
2020 | 845 | −4.3% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[6] |
In
As of the census
There were 320 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.7 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,250, and the median income for a family was $41,750. Males had a median income of $29,861 versus $22,750 for females. The
History
Before the arrival of Europeans in Alaska, Ninilchik was a
The first Europeans who permanently settled in the village were Russian colonists who moved there from Kodiak Island in 1847, two decades before the Alaska Purchase in 1867 by the United States. They were Russian Grigorii Kvasnikov (anglicized to Kvasnikoff), his Russian-Alutiiq wife Mavra Rastorguev (daughter of Agrafena Petrovna of Afognak), and their children. They were soon joined by the Oskolkoff family, also headed by a Russian man and Alutiiq woman. These were the core families, and their descendants, who often married Alutiiq, made up most of the village.
Their dialect
The
In 1896, a school was built and staffed by
In the 1940s, a number of American
Caribou Hills fire
A 2007 fire that burned near Ninilchik, known as the Caribou Hills fire, moved toward the town. At its peak threatened approximately 300 structures. It eventually burned nearly 60,000 acres (240 km2) and destroyed 197 structures.
Alaska Native people
The
Community
The original village is located at the mouth of the Ninilchik River. A small harbor has been constructed near the mouth of the river. The name "Ninilchik" is used today, however, to refer to the original village as well as the community that has grown up around it, extending several miles north, east, and south. Residents of Ninilchik sometimes refer to the original village as Ninilchik Village or simply "the village".
Ninilchik as a town is not incorporated, but it is under the jurisdiction of the
Tourism
Ninilchik is a popular tourist attraction. Other attractions in the area are salmon fishing, typically now either with commercial guides or private commercial family operations, either along the beach north of Ninilchik River or in Cook Inlet whose waters touch the beach next to the village. Halibut can also be caught in Cook Inlet close to Ninilchik. Pacific razor clams[13] are popular for digging on the beaches near Ninilchik, when the tides are low enough. Clammers should check regulations before digging, as this clam fishery has been closed until further notice.[14] Panoramic views of four Cook Inlet volcanos, historical Old Village, the iconic Russian Orthodox church, Ninilchik River and Deep Creek watersheds, abundant wildlife, and bluff-lined beaches provide photogenic opportunities rich in diversity and depth.
Ninilchik is the host community for the annual Kenai Peninsula Fair and the annual Salmonfest Alaska (formerly Salmonstock) Music Festival. Ninilchik Chamber of Commerce sponsors the annual Clam Scramble, a river to river obstacle run held during or close to the solstice.[15]
Parks
There are two
Just to the south of Ninilchik is the Deep Creek State Recreation Area which has a large campground on the beach, several parking areas for access to fishing in Deep Creek, and tractor-assisted boat launching. Both areas are known for the near-constant presence of
Notable Person
- lieutenant governor of Alaska. He grew up in Ninilchik and graduated from the Ninilchik School in 1968. He later moved to Anchorage, where he worked as a civil engineerand served in elected office continuously from 1989 to 2006. He was the first person of Alaska Native ancestry to be elected to statewide office.
References
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Ninilchik CDP, Alaska". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved January 22, 2019.[dead link]
- ^ "Cook Inlet Villages and Lands – CIRI". Ciri.com. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ISBN 978-1-892154-21-7
- ^ "NINILCHIK, ALASKA (506441)". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
- ^ "Geological Survey Professional Paper". 1949.
- ^ Census Office, United States (1893). "Report on Population and Resources of Alaska at the Eleventh Census, 1890".
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ See the online dictionary, Ninilchik Russian
- ^ "Russian language's most isolated dialect found in Alaska". РИА Новости. Russia Beyond the Headlines. May 29, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ^ Leman, Wayne. "Agrafena's Children".
- ^ [email protected]. "Home Page, Alaska Department of Fish and Game". Adfg.state.ak.us. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ a b Ninilchik SRA Alaska Department of Natural Resources
- ^ http://www.salmonstock.org Archived August 3, 2012, at the Library of Congress Web Archives
- ^ Deep Creek SRA Alaska Department of Natural Resources
- ISBN 9781892154378