Wiseman, Alaska

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The log-built post office at Wiseman, seen here in 1995, has been sinking into the ground for the past century, and is now a couple feet below ground.

Wiseman is a census-designated place (CDP) in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 21 at the 2000 census.

Wiseman is a small mining community in the Brooks Range. It was founded by gold miners who abandoned the Slate Creek (later Coldfoot) settlement around 1919. Robert Marshall wrote the book, Arctic Village, about his stay in this town around the year 1930. Marshall called Wiseman and the Koyukuk River area surrounding it, "the happiest civilization of which I have knowledge." The community is only 3 miles from the Dalton Highway, but the community was not connected to the road until the early 1990s.

[edit] Geography

Wiseman is located at 67°26′0″N, 150°5′40″W (67.433355, -150.094376)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 202.4 km² (78.1 mi²). 202.3 km² (78.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.05%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 21 people, 7 households, and 3 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 0.1/km² (0.3/mi²). There were 30 housing units at an average density of 0.1/km² (0.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 80.95% White, and 19.05% Native American.

There were 7 households out of which 57.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, and 42.9% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 4.50.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 38.1% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 42.9% from 25 to 44, 9.5% from 45 to 64, . The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 133.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 160.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $23,750, and the median income for a family was $24,583. Males had a median income of $0 versus $11,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $8,211. There were no families and 10.5% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.