Chignik, Alaska

On April 17, 1911, a gale blew ashore numerous ships such as the Benjamin F. Packard, the Star of Alaska, and the Jabez Howes, a three-masted, full-rigged ship owned by the Columbia River Packers Association and used as a cannery tender.

Chignik is located at {{Coord|56|17|54|N|158|24|16|W|type:city}} (56.298297, −158.404402).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|16|sqmi}}, {{convert|12|sqmi|abbr=on}} of it is land and {{convert|4|sqmi|abbr=on}} is water.

{{US Census population

|1940= 224

|1950= 253

|1960= 99

|1970= 83

|1980= 178

|1990= 188

|2000= 79

|2010= 91

|2020= 97

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}

}}

Chignik first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village, although it was preceded by "Chignik Bay", which may have included the village and canneries in the surrounding area, including Chignik Lagoon. Chignik Bay reported a population of 193 in 1890{{cite web |title=Report on Population and Resources of Alaska at the Eleventh Census: 1890 |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890a_v8-01.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |publisher=Government Printing Office}} (which was majority Asian (121), with 66 White residents, 5 Native Alaskans & 1 Other). It did not report again until 1910 when it had a total of 566 residents, which made it the 13th largest community in the territory of Alaska. This was the last time it appeared on the census until Chignik in 1940.

As of the census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 79 people, 29 households, and 20 families residing in the city. The population density was 7 per square mile (3/km{{sup|2}}). There were 80 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km{{sup|2}}). The racial makeup of the city was 32% white, 61% Native American, 3% Asian, 3% Pacific Islander, 1% from other races, and 1% from two or more races. 1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 29 households; 11 had children under the age of 18 living with them, 19 were married couples living together, 2 had a female householder with no husband present, and 8 were non-families. Seven households were individuals, and 10 consisted of a sole occupant 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.7 and the average family size was 3.3.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 25% under the age of 18, 14% from 18 to 24, 33% from 25 to 44, 23% from 45 to 64, and 5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 114 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,000, and the median income for a family was $51,000. The male and female median incomes were equal, at $31,250. The per capita income for Chignik was $16,000. 5% of the population lived below the poverty line; none were under 18 or over 64 years old.

• Benny Benson (1913–1972), the famous designer of the Alaskan Flag, was born in Chignik

The climate present in Chignik is a typical subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc), however it is mild when compared to other Alaskan towns with this climate type, for example Fairbanks or Fort Yukon.

{{Weather box

|location = Chignik, Alaska

|single line = Y

|collapsed =

| Jan record high F = 48

| Feb record high F = 48

| Mar record high F = 50

| Apr record high F = 56

| May record high F = 69

| Jun record high F = 72

| Jul record high F = 76

| Aug record high F = 76

| Sep record high F = 75

| Oct record high F = 63

| Nov record high F = 57

| Dec record high F = 55

|year record high F = 76

|Jan high F = 31.1

|Feb high F = 32.5

|Mar high F = 34.7

|Apr high F = 39.5

|May high F = 46.4

|Jun high F = 54.9

|Jul high F = 61.0

|Aug high F = 60.8

|Sep high F = 54.9

|Oct high F = 45.4

|Nov high F = 38.4

|Dec high F = 34.0

|year high F = 44.5

|Jan mean F = 25.4

|Feb mean F = 26.8

|Mar mean F = 29.0

|Apr mean F = 33.8

|May mean F = 40.7

|Jun mean F = 48.1

|Jul mean F = 53.6

|Aug mean F = 53.7

|Sep mean F = 48.1

|Oct mean F = 39.7

|Nov mean F = 33.1

|Dec mean F = 28.7

|year mean F = 38.4

|Jan low F = 19.8

|Feb low F = 21.1

|Mar low F = 23.3

|Apr low F = 28.1

|May low F = 34.9

|Jun low F = 41.2

|Jul low F = 46.1

|Aug low F = 46.6

|Sep low F = 41.3

|Oct low F = 34.0

|Nov low F = 27.7

|Dec low F = 23.6

|year low F = 32.3

| Jan record low F = −12

| Feb record low F = −9

| Mar record low F = −10

| Apr record low F = 5

| May record low F = 15

| Jun record low F = 21

| Jul record low F = 31

| Aug record low F = 33

| Sep record low F = 27

| Oct record low F = 14

| Nov record low F = −3

| Dec record low F = −5

|year record low F = −12

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 5.88

|Feb precipitation inch = 7.61

|Mar precipitation inch = 6.90

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.87

|May precipitation inch = 6.74

|Jun precipitation inch = 6.02

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.31

|Aug precipitation inch = 5.08

|Sep precipitation inch = 9.74

|Oct precipitation inch = 8.83

|Nov precipitation inch = 10.06

|Dec precipitation inch = 7.22

|year precipitation inch = 83.27

|Jan snow inch = 7.5

|Feb snow inch = 14.6

|Mar snow inch = 6.5

|Apr snow inch = 6.7

|May snow inch = 0.9

|Jun snow inch = 0

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 0

|Oct snow inch = 0.5

|Nov snow inch = 5.2

|Dec snow inch = 4.5

|year snow inch = 46.3

|source 1 = WRCC{{cite web

|url = http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ak1716

|title =CHIGNIK, ALASKA - Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary 9/1/1967 to 5/31/1978

|accessdate = August 20, 2010

|publisher = Western Regional Climate Center

|archive-url = https://archive.today/20230517023536/https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ak1716

|archive-date = May 17, 2023}}}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://library.state.ak.us/asp/edocs/2007/04/ocn123519024.pdf 2005 Chignik management area annual management report] / by Mark A. Stichert. Hosted by the [https://web.archive.org/web/20071012120420/http://library.state.ak.us/asp/ Alaska State Publications Program].

{{Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Alaska

Category:Cities in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska

Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean