Eagle, Alaska

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Eagle is a city located along the United States-Canada border in the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 129.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Demographics
4 External links

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Geography

Eagle is located at 64°47'10" North, 141°11'60" West (64.786022, -141.199917)¹.

Eagle is located 13 km (8 miles) west of the border between Alaska and the Yukon Territory of Canada on the Taylor Highway.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 km² (1.0 mi²). 2.6 km² (1.0 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

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History

The Eagle area has been the historical home to Han Gwich'in people since before the arrival of Europeans in Alaska.

The first structure in present-day Eagle was a log-trading post called "Belle Isle," built around 1874.

In the late 1800s, Eagle became a supply and trading center for miners working the upper Yukon River and its tributaries. By 1898, its population had exceeded 1,700. In 1901 Eagle was the first incorporated city in the Alaska Interior. It was named after the eagles that nested on nearby Eagle Bluff. A United States Army camp, Fort Egbert, was built at Eagle in 1900. A telegraph line between Eagle and Valdez was completed in 1903.

The gold rushes in Nome and Fairbanks lured people away from Eagle. Judge Wickersham moved his court from Eagle to Fairbanks in 1903. By 1910, Eagle's population had declined to its present-day level (below 200 people). Fort Egbert was abandoned in 1911.

Present-day Eagle is home to mostly people of European descent, but Eagle Village has a small population that is about 50 percent Gwich'in.

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Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 129 people, 58 households, and 37 families residing in the city. The population density is 49.3/km² (127.9/mi²). There are 137 housing units at an average density of 52.4/km² (135.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 93.02% White, 0.00% Black or African American, 6.20% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. 0.78% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 58 households out of which 20.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% are married couples living together, 6.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% are non-families. 34.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.22 and the average family size is 2.86.

In the city the population is spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 3.1% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 44.2% from 45 to 64, and 3.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 44 years. For every 100 females there are 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $36,042, and the median income for a family is $44,375. Males have a median income of $30,000 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,221. 16.5% of the population and 2.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 40.0% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

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