Anvik, Alaska
Encyclopedia
Anvik is a city, home to the Deg Hit'an people, in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska
, United States. The name Anvik, which became the common usage despite multiple names at the time, may have come from early Russian explorers. The native name in the Deg Xinag
language is Deloy Ges
. The population was 104 at the 2000 census.
, but residents gradually moved to where the Anvik Episcopal
mission
/school and church were constructed in 1887. A post office was also erected ten years later. There were two influenza
epidemic
s, first in 1918, and again in 1927, which created many orphans. Children came from as far away as Fort Yukon
to the mission.
Anvik has been known by many names throughout the years, including: American Station, Anvic, Anvick, Anvig, Anvig Station, and Anwig. Anvik was an Ingalik Indian village which the Russian Andrei Glazanov reported as having several hundred people in 1834 (the population has since been estimated to be over 700). The Native village was originally sited across the Yukon River Northeast of its present location at a place called the point. Every year at breakup, families moved up into the hills from the point.
Village residents recall the sternwheelers which carried supplies to town in the late teens and early 1920s. Some village residents had contracts to cut wood which was utilized for fuel by the sternwheelers. Residents sold fish and furs to traders who arrived by boat.
The early 1930s brought the first arrival of a plane on skis. Regular mail service was established in the mid-thirties when planes with skis and floats arrived at the village. Before the present airstrip was built in the mid-1960s, wheeled aircraft landed on nearby sandbars.
Anvik is also the first checkpoint on the Yukon River
for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, when the sled dog
race takes a southern route every other year. The church bell is always rung for the first team that arrives.
. There is a public Anvik Airport
(ANV) with a 2,960-foot (902 m) gravel runway located one mile (1.6 km) southeast of downtown Anvik. The students of Blackwell School have created a clickable interactive map of Anvik.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 11.9 square miles (30.8 km²), of which 9.5 square miles (24.6 km²) is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²) (20.44%) is water. It is considered an incorporated place (FIPS 55-3 Class C6).
, nine White
, and one from other races
. One also reported Hispanic
or Latino
ethnicity.
There were 39 households of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% were married couples living together, 25.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.43.
Age distribution was 34 under the age of 15, 6 from 16 to 18, 9 from 18 to 24, 28 from 25 to 44, 19 from 45 to 64, and 8 who were 65 years of age or older. The average age was 30.14 and the median age was 28.5 years, compared to 32.4 for the entire state. There were 57 males (35 over 18) and 47 females (29 over 18).
The annual median household income
was $21,250, and the median family income was $18,125. Males had a median income of $0 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $8,081 (compare $21,587 nationally). Median rent was $263 and monthly housing and mortgage costs were $833. There were 40.0% of families and 44.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 45.5% of under eighteens and 50.0% of those over 64.
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area is a census area located in the state of Alaska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,588. It is part of the unorganized borough and therefore has no borough seat...
, United States. The name Anvik, which became the common usage despite multiple names at the time, may have come from early Russian explorers. The native name in the Deg Xinag
Deg Xinag
The Deg Xinag language is a Northern Athabaskan language spoken by the Deg Hit’an peoples in Shageluk and Anvik and at Holy Cross along the lower Yukon River in Alaska....
language is Deloy Ges
Deloy Ges
Deloy Ges is the Deg Xinag language name for the village of Anvik, home to the Deg Hit'an people. More specifically it refers to Anvik Hill, also called Hawk Bluff, the current site of the Anvik Airport. Deloy Ges Inc. is also the name for the Deg Hit'an Native corporation. It translates literally...
. The population was 104 at the 2000 census.
History
The original site was on the other side of the Yukon RiverYukon River
The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. The source of the river is located in British Columbia, Canada. The next portion lies in, and gives its name to Yukon Territory. The lower half of the river lies in the U.S. state of Alaska. The river is long and empties into...
, but residents gradually moved to where the Anvik Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
mission
Mission (station)
A religious mission or mission station is a location for missionary work.While primarily a Christian term, the concept of the religious "mission" is also used prominently by the Church of Scientology and their Scientology Missions International....
/school and church were constructed in 1887. A post office was also erected ten years later. There were two influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
s, first in 1918, and again in 1927, which created many orphans. Children came from as far away as Fort Yukon
Fort Yukon, Alaska
As of the census of 2000, there were 595 people, 225 households, and 137 families residing in the city. The population density was 85.0 people per square mile . There were 317 housing units at an average density of 45.3 per square mile...
to the mission.
Anvik has been known by many names throughout the years, including: American Station, Anvic, Anvick, Anvig, Anvig Station, and Anwig. Anvik was an Ingalik Indian village which the Russian Andrei Glazanov reported as having several hundred people in 1834 (the population has since been estimated to be over 700). The Native village was originally sited across the Yukon River Northeast of its present location at a place called the point. Every year at breakup, families moved up into the hills from the point.
Village residents recall the sternwheelers which carried supplies to town in the late teens and early 1920s. Some village residents had contracts to cut wood which was utilized for fuel by the sternwheelers. Residents sold fish and furs to traders who arrived by boat.
The early 1930s brought the first arrival of a plane on skis. Regular mail service was established in the mid-thirties when planes with skis and floats arrived at the village. Before the present airstrip was built in the mid-1960s, wheeled aircraft landed on nearby sandbars.
Anvik is also the first checkpoint on the Yukon River
Yukon River
The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. The source of the river is located in British Columbia, Canada. The next portion lies in, and gives its name to Yukon Territory. The lower half of the river lies in the U.S. state of Alaska. The river is long and empties into...
for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, when the sled dog
Sled dog
Sled dogs, known also as sleigh man dogs, sledge dogs, or sleddogs, are highly trained types of dogs that are used to pull a dog sled, a wheel-less vehicle on runners also called a sled or sleigh, over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines.Sled dogs have become a popular winter recreation...
race takes a southern route every other year. The church bell is always rung for the first team that arrives.
Geography
Anvik is located at 62°39′20"N 160°12′33"W (62.655659, -160.209237), west of the Yukon River at the mouth of the Anvik River. It is 34 miles (54.7 km) to the north of Holy CrossHoly Cross, Alaska
Holy Cross is a city in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, United States...
. There is a public Anvik Airport
Anvik Airport
- External links :*...
(ANV) with a 2,960-foot (902 m) gravel runway located one mile (1.6 km) southeast of downtown Anvik. The students of Blackwell School have created a clickable interactive map of Anvik.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 11.9 square miles (30.8 km²), of which 9.5 square miles (24.6 km²) is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²) (20.44%) is water. It is considered an incorporated place (FIPS 55-3 Class C6).
Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 104 people, 39 households and 23 families residing in the city. The population density was 10.9 per square mile (4.2/km²). There were 49 housing units at an average density of 5.2 per square mile (2.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94 Native AmericanRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, nine White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and one from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
. One also reported Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
ethnicity.
There were 39 households of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% were married couples living together, 25.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.43.
Age distribution was 34 under the age of 15, 6 from 16 to 18, 9 from 18 to 24, 28 from 25 to 44, 19 from 45 to 64, and 8 who were 65 years of age or older. The average age was 30.14 and the median age was 28.5 years, compared to 32.4 for the entire state. There were 57 males (35 over 18) and 47 females (29 over 18).
The annual median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $21,250, and the median family income was $18,125. Males had a median income of $0 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $8,081 (compare $21,587 nationally). Median rent was $263 and monthly housing and mortgage costs were $833. There were 40.0% of families and 44.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 45.5% of under eighteens and 50.0% of those over 64.