Arolik, Alaska
Ghost Town
Arolik is located in Alaska
Arolik
Arolik
Location in the U.S. state of Alaska
Coordinates: 59°41′59″N 161°52′35″W / 59.69972°N 161.87639°W / 59.69972; -161.87639
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
Census AreaBethel
Elevation
3 ft (1 m)
Time zoneUTC-9 (Alaska (AKST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-8 (AKDT)
Area code907
GNIS feature ID1398398

Arolik is a former Yup'ik settlement and ghost town in Bethel Census Area, Alaska, United States. It was located at the North mouth of Arolik River adjacent to the shore of Kuskokwim Bay.[1] The site is approximately 4 miles south of the city of Quinhagak.[2] It was first surveyed for the 1880 U.S. Census by Ivan Petroff and reported as "Agaligamute" (alternatively as "Aguliagamute").

In 1913, it was published as "Arolic" (Arolik) by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (USC&GS) on Chart T-3399. The Inuit name was reported to mean "moon." The place is no longer permanently inhabited. This may be the site of the burnt village reported to be at the north mouth of Arolik River. The Inuit name of the Arolik River is "Aalalik," meaning "ashes," and refers to ashes of the village at its mouth. A 1951 USGS topographical map of Arolik (Goodnews Bay quadrangle)[3] showed a cluster of buildings still extant. However, by 2019, the aerial map of the location indicated no buildings present and the USGS 2017 Goodnews Bay C-8 topographical map omitted the locale entirely.[3]

The site is accessible by gravel road from Quinhagak.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880120—
189094−21.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]

Arolik[5] first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the Inuit village of "Agaligamute" with 120 residents, all Inuit.[6] It returned in 1890 as "Aguliagamiut" with an all-native population.[7] This included 15 families living in seven houses.[8] It did not report on the census again after 1890.

References

  1. ^ "Domestic Names | U.S. Geological Survey". Usgs.gov. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  2. ^ "Quinhagak to Alaska". Google.com. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  3. ^ a b https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ht-bin/tv_browse.pl?id=93b8779f17eceac6e904601069b25fb2[dead link]
  4. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  5. ^ "Geological Survey Professional Paper". U.S. Government Printing Office. February 1, 1949. p. 49. Retrieved February 1, 2022 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Areas, Dwellings and Families : 1880 Census" (PDF). 2.census.gov. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  7. ^ "Population and Resources : 1890 Census" (PDF). 2.census.gov. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  8. ^ "Census Reports Eleventh Census: 1890". U.S. Government Printing Office. February 1, 1893. p. 164. Retrieved February 1, 2022 – via Google Books.

59°41′59″N 161°52′35″W / 59.69972°N 161.87639°W / 59.69972; -161.87639


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