Talkeetna, Alaska
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| Talkeetna, Alaska | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Matanuska-Susitna |
| Area | |
| - Total | 42.9 sq mi (111.2 km²) |
| - Land | 41.6 sq mi (107.7 km²) |
| - Water | 1.4 sq mi (3.6 km²) |
| Elevation | 348 ft (106 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 772 |
| - Density | 18.6/sq mi (7.2/km²) |
| Time zone | Alaska (AKST) (UTC-9) |
| - Summer (DST) | AKDT (UTC-8) |
| ZIP code | 99676 |
| Area code(s) | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-74830 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1410591 |
Talkeetna is a census-designated place (CDP) in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2000 census the population was 772.
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[edit] Geography
Talkeetna is located at (62.311397, -150.087053)[1] at the confluence of three rivers, the Susitna, Chulitna and Talkeetna. It is a recreation paradise with flightseeing, rafting, mountain biking, hiking, camping, fishing and hunting opportunities. Talkeetna is a 2.5 hour drive from Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. The core downtown area is classified as a National Historic site, with many buildings dating from the early 1900's. Several, including Nagleys General Store, Fairview Inn and The Roadhouse still operate as they did over 80 years ago.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 42.9 square miles (111.2 km²), of which, 41.6 square miles (107.7 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.5 km²) of it (3.19%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 772 people, 358 households, and 181 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 18.6 people per square mile (7.2/km²). There were 528 housing units at an average density of 12.7/sq mi (4.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.95% White, 3.76% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 1.30% from other races, and 6.87% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 358 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.4% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 113.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.5 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $38,289, and the median income for a family was $46,818. Males had a median income of $34,732 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $23,695. About 7.2% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Notable residents
- Wildlife artist David Totten lives in Talkeetna—in 1995, 1997 and 1999 he was selected to paint the official prints of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race; in 2000, he was honored to attend the "Reflections of Nature" wildlife art show in Fallbrook, California; and was chosen as the 2001–2002 Alaska Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year.
- Sarah Birdsall—author of The Red Mitten
- Shannon Cartwright, artist and children's book illustrator.
- Kurt Wagner, McKinley and Landscape artist. Moved to Talkeetna and the Trapper Creek area in the 1940s. Is considered one of the last of a short list of artists who specialize in oils of McKinley and the Alaska Range. Resides in his small cabin and studio in E. Talkeetna. Although over 70 years old, still paints on a daily basis. His works hang in the Ted Stevens International Airport and other public buildings throughout Alaska.
- Stephen Mahay, river boat captain and owner of Mahay's Riverboat Service was the first man to traverse the Devil's and Talkeetna Canyons with a jet boat. Also, a loosely based biography was written about him, The Legend of River Mahay by Deborah Wood.
- Edward Wick, famous painter.
[edit] Other
Talkeetna is most famous for its close proximity to salmon fishing and to Denali (also known as Mt. McKinley). Many of the historic buildings which were built in the 1920's still survive and are still in operation, much as they were over 80 years ago. Nagleys Store (http://www.nagleysstore.com), Talkeetna Roadhouse and Fairview Inn are still thriving local businesses. Thousands of tourists travel to Talkeetna each summer to embark on fishing, flight seeing, and rafting trips, and also to indulge in the local arts and crafts boutiques. The height of tourist season revolves around the annual Moose Dropping Festival where artists from all over the state descend onto the town with their wares and sell them at booths set up around the town. Local performers also show their talents via plays and through the local circus. The Mountain Mother contest also takes place during the Moose Dropping Festival.
Talkeetna has a well developed airport and is home to several Air Taxi companies that offer flight seeing trips and support for mountain climbers. Many of the air taxi companies were started to ferry climbers from Talkeetna to Denali, as Talkeetna has the easiest access to the south side of the mountain where the main base camp is located.[3]
Talkeetna is home to the independent webcaster Whole Wheat Radio[1]. Talkeetna also boasts a community radio station, 88.9 KTNA[2],with locally hosted shows and national programming. A newspaper, the Talkeetna Times[3], is published every other week. An annual visitors guide, the Good Times, is published each spring.
In June 2007, Susitna Valley High School burned to the ground while repairs were being made to the roof. Around 250 students were left without a school, and are currently holding classes in portables on the grounds of the Upper Susitna Senior Center. Since the fire, the students have boycotted unhealthy school lunches, requesting higher quality food. With help from members of the community, they prepared homemade meals to share. There are plans for a new school to be built in the next few years.
The town of Talkeetna was the inspiration for the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska, in the hit CBS TV series Northern Exposure which ran from 1990 through 1995.
[edit] References
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Anchorage Daily News: "Buisnesses look to build Talkeetna's winter trade."
[edit] External links
- Talkeetna, Alaska is at coordinates Coordinates:
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