Shageluk

Quick Facts

  • Pronounced (SHAG-uh-look)
  • Current Population 69 (2012 Alaska Department of Labor Estimate)
  • Legislative Districts (link to State Legislature page):
    • Senate District R
    • House District 36
    • Judicial District 4
  • Latitude: 62.6822
  • Longitude: -159.5619


Location

Shageluk is located on the east bank of the Innoko River, approximately 20 miles east of Anvik and 34 miles northeast of Holy Cross. The Innoko is a tributary of the Yukon River.

Climate

Shageluk has a cold, continental climate. Summer temperatures average from 42 to 80 °F, and winters can range from -62 to 0 °F. Annual precipitation averages 67 inches, with average snowfall of 110 inches. The Innoko River is generally ice-free from June through October.

History

Shageluk is an Athabascan Indian village first reported as “Tie’goschitno” in 1850 by Lt. Zagoskin of the Russian Navy. In 1861, a historian for the Russian American Company reported six villages on the Innoko. These were collectively called the “Chageluk settlements” during the 1880 Census.

Shageluk became one of the permanent communities in the area. A post office was established in 1924. Residents of Shageluk moved in 1966 from a flood-prone location to a higher site two miles southeast. The BIA constructed 20 homes and a school at the new site. The city was incorporated in 1970.

Culture

Shageluk is a Deg Hit’an Athabascan community that relies on subsistence activities.