Kalifornsky, Alaska facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kalifornsky, Alaska Unhghenesditnu
Census-designated place
Location of Kalifornsky, Alaska
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Borough	Kenai Peninsula
Area
• Total	69.74 sq mi (180.63 km2)
• Land	68.72 sq mi (177.99 km2)
• Water	1.02 sq mi (2.64 km2)
Elevation	23 ft (7 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,487
• Density	123.5/sq mi (47.68/km2)
Time zone	UTC-9 (AKST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-8 (AKDT)
ZIP Codes	99610 (Kasilof) 99611 (Kenai) 99669 (Soldotna)
Area code(s)	907
FIPS code	02-37250
GNIS feature ID	1413260

Kalifornsky (Tanaina: Unhghenesditnu) is a special type of community in Alaska, United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that looks like a town but isn't officially a city. In 2020, about 8,487 people lived there. This makes it the most populated area in the Kenai Peninsula Borough.

Where is Kalifornsky Located?

Kalifornsky is found in Alaska, a large state in the United States. It's located at 60.47 degrees North and 151.20 degrees West.

Nearby Towns and Rivers

To the north, Kalifornsky shares a border with the city of Kenai. To the east, it's next to Soldotna, which is the main town of the borough. The Kenai River forms part of its northeast border. Across the river is another community called Ridgeway. To the south, Kalifornsky borders the communities of Cohoe and Kasilof.

Size and Geography

Kalifornsky covers a total area of about 180.7 square kilometers (about 69.7 square miles). Most of this area, about 178.4 square kilometers (68.7 square miles), is land. The rest is water, like rivers and lakes.

It sits on the eastern shore of Cook Inlet, which is a large body of water. It's also on the Kenai Peninsula, a big piece of land sticking out into the ocean. You can reach Kalifornsky by taking Kalifornsky Beach Road off the Sterling Highway. It's about 4 to 17 miles south of Kenai and 4 to 16 miles west of Soldotna.

What's the Weather Like?

Kalifornsky has mild winters. Temperatures usually range from 14 to 27 degrees Fahrenheit (about -10 to -3 degrees Celsius). Summers are cool, with temperatures from 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (about 7 to 18 degrees Celsius). On average, it gets about 24 inches of rain or snow each year.

History and Culture of Kalifornsky

The original name for Kalifornsky in the Dena'ina language is Unhghenesditnu. This means 'farthest creek over'.

How Kalifornsky Got Its Name

The name "Kalifornsky" comes from a person's last name. The village was named after its founder, a Dena'ina Native American man named Qadanalchen. His name meant "acts quickly" in his language.

Qadanalchen worked in California at a place called Fort Ross from about 1812 to 1821. When he returned to Alaska, he took the name "Kalifornsky." This was the Russian way of saying "Californian."

Famous Resident

Peter Kalifornsky (1911–1993) was a famous writer and expert on the Dena'ina culture. He was born in the original Kalifornsky village. He was Qadanalchen's great-great-grandson. The old village was about 10 miles south of Kenai.

Population and People

Kalifornsky first appeared in the U.S. Census in 1980. At that time, it was spelled "Kalifonsky" without the "r". The spelling was corrected to "Kalifornsky" in the 2000 Census.

In 2000, there were 5,846 people living in Kalifornsky. About 42% of the households had children under 18. Most households (62.3%) were married couples living together. The average age of people living there was 35 years old.

Jobs and Getting Around

Kalifornsky has many different types of jobs. People work in oil and gas, timber, and fishing. There are also jobs in government, stores, and tourism.

Transportation in the Area

Kalifornsky Beach Road is a busy road, especially for people who like to fish in the Kenai River. The nearby Sterling Highway is part of Alaska Route 1. This highway connects Kalifornsky to the rest of the state's road system. The city of Kenai is close by and has an airport. It also has places for boats.