Ninilchik, Alaska
Encyclopedia
Ninilchik is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska
, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 772.
on the coast of Cook Inlet
, 38 miles (61.2 km) southwest of Kenai
, and 100 miles (160.9 km) southwest of Anchorage
. Road access is by the Sterling Highway
. By actual road miles it is a distance of 188 miles (302.6 km) from Anchorage and 44 miles (70.8 km) from Homer
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 207.6 square miles (537.7 km²), of which, 207.6 square miles (537.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.01%) is water.
, 13.99% Native American
, 0.52% Asian
, 0.13% from other races
, and 3.11% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
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 per capita income
for the CDP was $18,463. About 10.4% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
The first people who would permanently stay in the village moved there from Kodiak Island
in 1847 before the Alaska Purchase
. They were Russian Grigorii Kvasnikov (Anglicized to Kvasnikoff), his Russian-Alutiiq
wife Mavra Rastorguev (daughter of Agrafena of Afognak), and their children. Their dialect of Russian (plus a few words borrowed from Alaska Native languages) was the primary language spoken in Ninilchik long past the purchase of Russia's interests in Alaska by the U.S. in 1867. A few speakers of the Ninilchik Russian dialect are still alive in 2008, including one married couple who continues to speak the language to each other.
The 1880, United States Census listed 53 "Creoles" living in Ninilchik in nine extended families. All nine founding families of Ninilchik are descendants of the Kvasnikoffs and Alaska Natives
.
In 1896, a school was built and staffed by Russian Orthodox priests and laymen. In 1901, the Russian Orthodox Church was redesigned and constructed at its current site. In 1911 the first school sanctioned by the U.S. government was started and early in 2011 the community celebrated its 100th anniversary of the Ninilchik School.
In the 1940s, a number of homesteaders
came to the area. In 1949, Berman Packing Company began fish canning operations at Ninilchik. In 1950, the Sterling Highway
was completed through Ninilchik.
.
recognized Ninilchik as an Alaska Native village, which led to the formation of the Ninilchik Native Association Incorporated and eventually to the further recognition, by the US Congress, that Ninilchik's descendants comprised a quasi-sovereign government (equivalent to American Indian
tribes), thereby establishing the Ninilchik Traditional Council (NTC) as the governing body for Natives who live in the area surrounding Ninilchik or who descended from the original inhabitants.
. 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. Ninilchik as a town is not incorporated, but it is under the jurisdiction of the Kenai Peninsula Borough (KPB) and the State of Alaska. Volunteer groups, the NTC, the State of Alaska, and the KPB carry out most of the governmental functions in the area, like fire-fighting (volunteer), highway snow-removal (state), health services (NTC), and primary and secondary schooling (KPB). A Russian Orthodox
church, the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel
, is located in the community.
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 Clam
s http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/shellfsh/razrclam.php are popular for digging on the beaches near Ninilchik, when the tides are low enough.
Ninilchik is also the host community for the annual Kenai Peninsula State Fair.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska
Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska
-National protected areas:* Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge ** Chiswell Islands** Tuxedni Wilderness* Chugach National Forest * Katmai National Park and Preserve ** Katmai Wilderness...
, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 772.
Geography
Ninilchik is on the west side of the Kenai PeninsulaKenai Peninsula
The Kenai Peninsula is a large peninsula jutting from the southern coast of Alaska in the United States. The name Kenai is probably derived from Kenayskaya, the Russian name for Cook Inlet, which borders the peninsula to the west.-Geography:...
on the coast of Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding Anchorage....
, 38 miles (61.2 km) southwest of Kenai
Kenai, Alaska
Kenai is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 7,464...
, and 100 miles (160.9 km) southwest of Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
. Road access is by the Sterling Highway
Sterling Highway
The Sterling Highway is a 142-mile highway in the Southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, leading from the Seward Highway at Tern Lake Junction, south of Anchorage, to Homer....
. By actual road miles it is a distance of 188 miles (302.6 km) from Anchorage and 44 miles (70.8 km) from Homer
Homer, Alaska
Homer is a city located in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population was 5,364. One of Homer's nicknames is "the cosmic hamlet by the sea"; another is "the end of the road"...
.
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 CDP has a total area of 207.6 square miles (537.7 km²), of which, 207.6 square miles (537.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.01%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 772 people, 320 households, and 223 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3.7 people per square mile (1.4/km²). There were 762 housing units at an average density of 3.7/sq mi (1.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 82.25% WhiteRace (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...
, 13.99% Native American
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...
, 0.52% Asian
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...
, 0.13% 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...
, and 3.11% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population were 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...
of any race.
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 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 CDP was $18,463. About 10.4% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
History
Before the arrival of Europeans in Alaska, Ninilchik was a Dena'ina Athabaskan lodging area used for hunting and fishing. The name Ninilchik probably derives from Niqnilchint, a Deni'ana Athabaskan word meaning "lodge is built place".The first people who would permanently stay in the village moved there from Kodiak Island
Kodiak Island
Kodiak Island is a large island on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, separated from the Alaska mainland by the Shelikof Strait. The largest island in the Kodiak Archipelago, Kodiak Island is the second largest island in the United States and the 80th largest island in the world, with an...
in 1847 before the Alaska Purchase
Alaska purchase
The Alaska Purchase was the acquisition of the Alaska territory by the United States from Russia in 1867 by a treaty ratified by the Senate. The purchase, made at the initiative of United States Secretary of State William H. Seward, gained of new United States territory...
. They were Russian Grigorii Kvasnikov (Anglicized to Kvasnikoff), his Russian-Alutiiq
Alutiiq
The Alutiiq , also called Pacific Yupik or Sugpiaq, are a southern coastal people of the Native peoples of Alaska. Their language is called Sugstun, and it is one of Eskimo languages, belonging to the Yup’ik branch of these languages. They are not to be confused with the Aleuts, who live further...
wife Mavra Rastorguev (daughter of Agrafena of Afognak), and their children. Their dialect of Russian (plus a few words borrowed from Alaska Native languages) was the primary language spoken in Ninilchik long past the purchase of Russia's interests in Alaska by the U.S. in 1867. A few speakers of the Ninilchik Russian dialect are still alive in 2008, including one married couple who continues to speak the language to each other.
The 1880, United States Census listed 53 "Creoles" living in Ninilchik in nine extended families. All nine founding families of Ninilchik are descendants of the Kvasnikoffs and Alaska Natives
Alaska Natives
Alaska Natives are the indigenous peoples of Alaska. They include: Aleut, Inuit, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Eyak, and a number of Northern Athabaskan cultures.-History:In 1912 the Alaska Native Brotherhood was founded...
.
In 1896, a school was built and staffed by Russian Orthodox priests and laymen. In 1901, the Russian Orthodox Church was redesigned and constructed at its current site. In 1911 the first school sanctioned by the U.S. government was started and early in 2011 the community celebrated its 100th anniversary of the Ninilchik School.
In the 1940s, a number of homesteaders
Homestead Act
A homestead act is one of three United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to an area called a "homestead" – typically 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River....
came to the area. In 1949, Berman Packing Company began fish canning operations at Ninilchik. In 1950, the Sterling Highway
Sterling Highway
The Sterling Highway is a 142-mile highway in the Southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, leading from the Seward Highway at Tern Lake Junction, south of Anchorage, to Homer....
was completed through Ninilchik.
2007 Caribou Hills Fire
A 2007 fire that burned near Ninilchik, known as the Caribou Hills Fire, moved toward the town and at its peak threatened approximately 300 structures. It eventually burned nearly 60000 acres (242.8 km²) and destroyed 197 structures. For the main article, go to 2007 Caribou Hills fire2007 Caribou Hills fire
The Caribou Hills Fire was a 2007 wildfire that burned near Ninilchik, Alaska, and expanded extremely rapidly, making it at one point the top firefighting priority in the United States. It soon moved toward the town and at its peak threatened approximately 300 structures...
.
Native Alaskans
The Alaska Native Claims Settlement ActAlaska Native Claims Settlement Act
The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, commonly abbreviated ANCSA, was signed into law by President Richard M. Nixon on December 23, 1971, the largest land claims settlement in United States history. ANCSA was intended to resolve the long-standing issues surrounding aboriginal land claims in...
recognized Ninilchik as an Alaska Native village, which led to the formation of the Ninilchik Native Association Incorporated and eventually to the further recognition, by the US Congress, that Ninilchik's descendants comprised a quasi-sovereign government (equivalent to American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes), thereby establishing the Ninilchik Traditional Council (NTC) as the governing body for Natives who live in the area surrounding Ninilchik or who descended from the original inhabitants.
Community
The original village is located at the mouth of the Ninilchik RiverNinilchik River
The Ninilchik River is a 21-mile-long river on the Kenai Peninsula of the U.S. state of Alaska. It flows generally southwest, entering Cook Inlet at Ninilchik. A small boat harbor is dredged out of the river mouth near the town. In summer the river is a popular fishing location, especially for...
. 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. Ninilchik as a town is not incorporated, but it is under the jurisdiction of the Kenai Peninsula Borough (KPB) and the State of Alaska. Volunteer groups, the NTC, the State of Alaska, and the KPB carry out most of the governmental functions in the area, like fire-fighting (volunteer), highway snow-removal (state), health services (NTC), and primary and secondary schooling (KPB). A Russian Orthodox
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
church, the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel
Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel
The Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel is a Russian Orthodox church located near Ninilchik, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska....
, is located in the community.
Tourism
Ninilchik is a popular tourist attraction. Other attractions in the area are salmonSalmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishing, typically now either with commercial guides or private commercial family operations, either along the beach north of Ninilchik River
Ninilchik River
The Ninilchik River is a 21-mile-long river on the Kenai Peninsula of the U.S. state of Alaska. It flows generally southwest, entering Cook Inlet at Ninilchik. A small boat harbor is dredged out of the river mouth near the town. In summer the river is a popular fishing location, especially for...
or in Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet
Cook Inlet stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding Anchorage....
whose waters touch the beach next to the village. Halibut
Halibut
Halibut is a flatfish, genus Hippoglossus, from the family of the right-eye flounders . Other flatfish are also called halibut. The name is derived from haly and butt , for its popularity on Catholic holy days...
can also be caught in Cook Inlet close to Ninilchik. Pacific Razor Clam
Pacific razor clam
The Pacific razor clam, Siliqua patula, is a species of large edible marine bivalve mollusc in the family Cultellidae.-Range:Pacific razor clams can be found along the Pacific West Coast from the eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska, to Pismo Beach, California...
s http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/shellfsh/razrclam.php are popular for digging on the beaches near Ninilchik, when the tides are low enough.
Ninilchik is also the host community for the annual Kenai Peninsula State Fair.