Kobuk, Alaska

Last updated

Kobuk
Laugviik
City
Northwest Arctic Borough Alaska incorporated and unincorporated areas Kobuk highlighted.svg
Location in Northwest Arctic Borough and the state of Alaska.
Coordinates: 66°55′3″N156°54′25″W / 66.91750°N 156.90694°W / 66.91750; -156.90694
CountryUnited States
State Alaska
Borough Northwest Arctic
Incorporated September 25, 1973 [1]
Government
 •  Mayor Alex Sheldon [2]
 •  State senator Donny Olson (D)
 •  State rep. Tom Baker (R)
Area
[3]
 • Total16.02 sq mi (41.49 km2)
 • Land15.51 sq mi (40.16 km2)
 • Water0.51 sq mi (1.33 km2)
Elevation
148 ft (45 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total191
 • Density12.32/sq mi (4.76/km2)
Time zone UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-8 (AKDT)
ZIP code
99751
Area code 907
FIPS code 02-40840
GNIS feature ID 1413362

Kobuk (Inupiaq : Laugviik) is a city in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 151, up from 109 in 2000.

Contents

History

Kobuk was founded in 1899 as the village of Shungnak, a supply point for miners north of the Kobuk River in the Cosmos Hills. A trading post, school, and mission were built and residents came to the settlement. In the 1920s, river erosion led many residents to relocate ten miles downstream (west) to a site called "Kochuk." Kochuk became the new Shungnak, while the original Shungnak became Kobuk in 1928. [4]

In May 1973, a flood covered the entire village. In September of the same year, it incorporated as a city.

The economy of Kobuk is based on subsistence hunting for caribou and moose.

The first postmaster at Kobuk (when it was still called Shungnak) was Martin F. Moran, appointed September 24, 1903. [5]

Geography and climate

Kobuk has a typical subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfc), bordering on a dry-winter subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: Dwc).

Kobuk is located at 66°55′3″N156°54′25″W / 66.91750°N 156.90694°W / 66.91750; -156.90694 (66.917579, -156.906829). [6]

Kobuk is located on the bank of the Kobuk River, 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Shungnak. It is near Kobuk Valley National Park.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.8 square miles (44 km2), of which, 16.1 square miles (42 km2) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) of it (4.34%) is water.

The coldest temperature recorded in Kobuk was -68°F (-56°C) on March 1, 1971. Kobuk holds the record for the coldest temperature to ever be recorded in the United States in March.

Climate data for Kobuk (1961–1990 normals, extremes 1953–1979)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °F (°C)39
(4)		38
(3)		45
(7)		59
(15)		79
(26)		90
(32)		92
(33)		90
(32)		73
(23)		55
(13)		42
(6)		40
(4)		92
(33)
Mean maximum °F (°C)29.3
(−1.5)		26.4
(−3.1)		33.8
(1.0)		46.6
(8.1)		66.3
(19.1)		79.3
(26.3)		81.8
(27.7)		78.7
(25.9)		66.3
(19.1)		43.3
(6.3)		32.8
(0.4)		29.0
(−1.7)		84.3
(29.1)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)1.1
(−17.2)		3.1
(−16.1)		13.4
(−10.3)		29.1
(−1.6)		49.8
(9.9)		65.5
(18.6)		68.8
(20.4)		64.1
(17.8)		51.4
(10.8)		28.8
(−1.8)		11.2
(−11.6)		1.7
(−16.8)		32.4
(0.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)−7.3
(−21.8)		−9.5
(−23.1)		−0.1
(−17.8)		16.0
(−8.9)		39.2
(4.0)		54.1
(12.3)		57.6
(14.2)		53.7
(12.1)		42.2
(5.7)		19.9
(−6.7)		3.7
(−15.7)		−9.3
(−22.9)		21.7
(−5.7)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)−18.7
(−28.2)		−20.4
(−29.1)		−12.2
(−24.6)		5.3
(−14.8)		27.0
(−2.8)		41.6
(5.3)		45.1
(7.3)		42.3
(5.7)		32.1
(0.1)		11.8
(−11.2)		−6.0
(−21.1)		−18.4
(−28.0)		10.9
(−11.7)
Mean minimum °F (°C)−53.6
(−47.6)		−55.1
(−48.4)		−48.4
(−44.7)		−31.2
(−35.1)		11.6
(−11.3)		29.3
(−1.5)		34.1
(1.2)		26.7
(−2.9)		12.0
(−11.1)		−18.8
(−28.2)		−35.8
(−37.7)		−51.8
(−46.6)		−58.1
(−50.1)
Record low °F (°C)−65
(−54)		−65
(−54)		−68
(−56)		−41
(−41)		−16
(−27)		19
(−7)		29
(−2)		19
(−7)		−5
(−21)		−42
(−41)		−59
(−51)		−60
(−51)		−68
(−56)
Average precipitation inches (mm)0.54
(14)		0.42
(11)		0.55
(14)		0.66
(17)		0.85
(22)		1.78
(45)		3.11
(79)		3.42
(87)		2.67
(68)		1.05
(27)		0.95
(24)		0.69
(18)		16.69
(424)
Average snowfall inches (cm)6.8
(17)		4.4
(11)		6.1
(15)		4.7
(12)		0.7
(1.8)		0.1
(0.25)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		1.9
(4.8)		6.9
(18)		11.7
(30)		7.6
(19)		50.9
(129)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch)5.13.44.85.95.38.611.214.111.27.17.86.290.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 inch)3.82.64.03.50.60.10.00.01.03.76.34.530.1
Source 1: WRCC [7]
Source 2: XMACIS (snowfall) [8]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910 210—
1920 95−54.8%
1940 31—
1950 3822.6%
1960 5442.1%
1970 563.7%
1980 6210.7%
1990 6911.3%
2000 10958.0%
2010 15138.5%
2020 19126.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [9]

Kobuk first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census under its previous name of Shungnak, an unincorporated village. It appeared again on the 1920 U.S. Census. With the departure of many residents in 1927 to the "New" Shungnak site, the old site was renamed Kobuk in 1928. It did not appear on the 1930 census, but did beginning again in 1940. In 1970, Kobuk was erroneously reported as the unincorporated "Shungnak Village" (not to be confused with its neighbor city). In 1973, Kobuk was formally incorporated and has reported as Kobuk in every successive census since 1980. [4]

As of the census [10] of 2000, there were 109 people, 26 households, and 23 families residing in the city. The population density was 6.8 inhabitants per square mile (2.6/km2). There were 45 housing units at an average density of 2.8 per square mile (1.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 4.59% White, 93.58% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.92% from other races. 4.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 26 households, out of which 61.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 30.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.5% were non-families. 11.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.19 and the average family size was 4.26.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 52.3% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 2.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 17 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,750, and the median income for a family was $20,313. Males had a median income of $71,250 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,844. There were 32.0% of families and 28.6% of the population living below the poverty line, including 28.2% of under eighteens and 57.1% of those over 64.

Education

The Kobuk School, operated by the Northwest Arctic Borough School District, serves the community. As of 2017 it had 44 students, with Alaska Natives making up 100% of the student body. [11]

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References

  1. ↑ "Directory of Borough and City Officials 1974". Alaska Local Government. XIII (2). Juneau: Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs: 48. January 1974.
  2. ↑ 2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau: Alaska Municipal League. 2015. p. 89.
  3. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Geological Survey Professional Paper". 1949.
  5. ↑ Dickerson, Ora B. (1989) 120 Years of Alaska Postmasters, 1867-1987, p. 63. Scotts, Michigan: Carl J. Cammarata. A photograph of George Cleveland (postmaster 1949-77), outside the Co-op Store/Post Office, appears on the cover of the book.
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ "1961-1990 Monthly Climate Summary, KOBUK, ALASKA (504964)". Western Regional Climate Center. Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  8. ↑ XMACIS
  9. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  11. ↑ Home. Kobuk School. Retrieved on March 26, 2017.
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