Russian Mission, Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Russian Mission
Iqugmiut
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| Iqurmiut Traditional Council | |
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 Russian Mission
Location in Alaska
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Alaska |
| Census Area | Kusilvak |
| ANCSA regional corporation | Calista |
| Incorporated | October 28, 1970 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.72 sq mi (14.82 km2) |
| • Land | 5.37 sq mi (13.90 km2) |
| • Water | 0.35 sq mi (0.92 km2) |
| Elevation | 52 ft (16 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 421 |
| • Density | 78.43/sq mi (30.28/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code |
99657
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| Area code | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-65700 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1408925 |
Russian Mission is a small city in Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska. Its native name is Central Yupik: Iqugmiut. It was once known as Ikogmiut in Russian.
In 1842, a fur trading post was set up here by the Russian-American Company. This company traded furs. After Russia sold its lands in Alaska to the United States in 1867, the town was officially named Russian Mission around the early 1900s. Selling alcohol is not allowed in the city. In 2020, the population was 421 people. This was an increase from 312 people in 2010.
Contents
History of Russian Mission
Early Trading Post and Village Names
The very first fur trading post on the Yukon River was built here in 1837. It was built by the Russian-American Company. In 1842, an explorer named Lavrenty Zagoskin wrote about the village. He called it "Ikogmiut," which means "people of the point" in the Cup'ik language.
Russian Orthodox Mission
In 1851, the first Russian Orthodox mission in Interior Alaska was started here. It was founded by an Aleut priest named Jacob Netsvetov. The mission was called "Pokrovskaya Mission." Around 1900, the village's name changed to Russian Mission.
For a while, people sometimes confused it with another village. That village was also called "Russian Mission" or "Little Russian Mission." But that other village was renamed Chuathbaluk in the 1960s. Russian Mission officially became a city in 1970.
Geography and Climate
Location of Russian Mission
Russian Mission is located at 61°47′8″N 161°20′3″W / 61.78556°N 161.33417°W. It sits on the western bank of the Yukon River. This area is part of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
The city is about 25 miles southeast of Marshall. It is also 70 air miles northeast of Bethel. Anchorage is much farther away, about 376 miles to the west.
Land and Water Area
The city covers a total area of about 6.2 square miles (16 km2). Most of this area, about 5.7 square miles (15 km2), is land. The rest, about 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2), is water.
Climate Conditions
Russian Mission has a climate that mixes tundra and boreal forests. This means it has long, cold winters and shorter, warm summers. Strong winds from the north often make it hard to fly into the area in the fall and winter. The Lower Yukon River is free of ice from mid-June until October.
The city has a subarctic climate. This type of climate is known for mild summers and long, snowy winters. On average, about 71 inches (180 cm) of snow falls each year.
| Climate data for Russian Mission (1961–1990 normals, extremes 1928–1987) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 48 (9) |
45 (7) |
45 (7) |
60 (16) |
79 (26) |
80 (27) |
86 (30) |
82 (28) |
70 (21) |
59 (15) |
48 (9) |
48 (9) |
86 (30) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 35.4 (1.9) |
34.6 (1.4) |
40.0 (4.4) |
47.1 (8.4) |
64.8 (18.2) |
74.2 (23.4) |
77.2 (25.1) |
70.7 (21.5) |
63.1 (17.3) |
48.9 (9.4) |
38.8 (3.8) |
37.5 (3.1) |
79.2 (26.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 13.7 (−10.2) |
14.6 (−9.7) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
33.5 (0.8) |
50.1 (10.1) |
60.1 (15.6) |
63.6 (17.6) |
60.5 (15.8) |
51.7 (10.9) |
35.4 (1.9) |
22.5 (−5.3) |
15.7 (−9.1) |
37.3 (2.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 4.3 (−15.4) |
5.4 (−14.8) |
15.6 (−9.1) |
21.7 (−5.7) |
40.3 (4.6) |
50.5 (10.3) |
54.5 (12.5) |
51.2 (10.7) |
43.2 (6.2) |
27.2 (−2.7) |
16.8 (−8.4) |
6.7 (−14.1) |
28.1 (−2.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −4.3 (−20.2) |
−4.2 (−20.1) |
2.5 (−16.4) |
12.0 (−11.1) |
29.6 (−1.3) |
40.5 (4.7) |
45.0 (7.2) |
42.8 (6.0) |
34.4 (1.3) |
20.7 (−6.3) |
7.6 (−13.6) |
−1.4 (−18.6) |
18.9 (−7.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −33.5 (−36.4) |
−33.4 (−36.3) |
−20.5 (−29.2) |
−12.4 (−24.7) |
14.7 (−9.6) |
28.1 (−2.2) |
34.1 (1.2) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
21.1 (−6.1) |
−0.9 (−18.3) |
−12.9 (−24.9) |
−30.7 (−34.8) |
−39.4 (−39.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −54 (−48) |
−50 (−46) |
−52 (−47) |
−38 (−39) |
−21 (−29) |
10 (−12) |
27 (−3) |
21 (−6) |
13 (−11) |
−20 (−29) |
−31 (−35) |
−44 (−42) |
−54 (−48) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.41 (36) |
0.89 (23) |
1.10 (28) |
1.07 (27) |
1.01 (26) |
1.56 (40) |
2.48 (63) |
2.95 (75) |
2.39 (61) |
2.10 (53) |
1.84 (47) |
1.90 (48) |
20.71 (526) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 16.5 (42) |
5.7 (14) |
7.9 (20) |
7.1 (18) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
3.0 (7.6) |
13.1 (33) |
16.3 (41) |
69.8 (177) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) | 7.1 | 4.5 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 6.9 | 9.9 | 13.8 | 13.5 | 12.4 | 8.7 | 7.6 | 8.8 | 104.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 inch) | 7.4 | 4.1 | 5.9 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 7.1 | 7.7 | 37.8 |
| Source 1: WRCC | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS (snowfall) | |||||||||||||
Population and People
Historical Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 148 | — | |
| 1890 | 140 | −5.4% | |
| 1900 | 166 | 18.6% | |
| 1920 | 90 | — | |
| 1930 | 54 | −40.0% | |
| 1940 | 34 | −37.0% | |
| 1950 | 55 | 61.8% | |
| 1960 | 102 | 85.5% | |
| 1970 | 146 | 43.1% | |
| 1980 | 169 | 15.8% | |
| 1990 | 246 | 45.6% | |
| 2000 | 296 | 20.3% | |
| 2010 | 312 | 5.4% | |
| 2020 | 421 | 34.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Russian Mission first appeared on the U.S. Census in 1880. It was listed as Ikogmute Mission. In 1890, it was called "Ikogmiut." This count included a nearby village. In 1920, it was officially named Russian Mission. The city became formally incorporated in 1970.
Population Details from 2000
In 2000, there were 296 people living in Russian Mission. These people lived in 70 households. About 94% of the people were Native American. About 6% were White.
Many households had children under 18 living there. The average household had about 4 people. The average family had about 4.5 people. The median age in the city was 19 years old. This means half the people were younger than 19, and half were older.
Most residents follow the Russian Orthodox faith. A smaller number of people are Roman Catholic.
Getting Around Russian Mission
Air Travel
Russian Mission has its own airport, Russian Mission Airport. People, mail, and goods mostly arrive by plane. The state owns and runs a gravel airstrip. There is also a place for seaplanes to land. Flights are scheduled daily.
River and Winter Travel
Because Russian Mission is on the Yukon River, people can travel by barge and small boat. This is possible during the summer months. In winter, snowmachines are used to travel between villages. There is a marked trail that goes to Kalskag.
Education
Students from kindergarten through 12th grade attend Russian Mission School. This school is managed by the Lower Yukon School District.
See also
In Spanish: Russian Mission para niños
