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Circle Danzhit Khànląįį | |
|---|---|
.jpg) View of Circle in 1941 | |
 Location of Circle, Alaska | |
| Coordinates:65°49′31″N144°03′43″W / 65.82528°N 144.06194°W /65.82528; -144.06194 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Yukon-Koyukuk |
| Government | |
| • State senator | Click Bishop (R) |
| • State rep. | Mike Cronk (R) |
| Area | |
• Total | 106.58 sq mi (276.04 km2) |
| • Land | 106.04 sq mi (274.64 km2) |
| • Water | 0.54 sq mi (1.40 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 91 |
| • Density | 0.85/sq mi (0.33/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code | 99733 |
| Area code | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-14880 |
Circle (also calledCircle City;Gwichʼin:Danzhit Khànląįį)[2][pronunciation?] is acensus-designated place (CDP) inYukon-Koyukuk Census Area,Alaska,United States. At the2020 census the population was 91, down from 104 in 2010.
Circle is 160 mi (260 km) northeast ofFairbanks at the end of theSteese Highway along the Yukon River. Circle was named by miners in the late 19th century who believed that the town was on theArctic Circle, but the Arctic Circle is about 50 mi (80 km) north of Circle. Circle used to be an active freight hub for many villages along the Yukon.
Every February, Circle City hosts a checkpoint for the long-distanceYukon Quest sled dog race.
There is only one general store, Hutchinson Commercial, which also sells alcohol and houses the only fuel pump in town. The price of fuel is generally 35-40% higher than prices in Fairbanks.
Part of the events ofThe Golden Volcano (1906) byJules Verne occur in Circle. Many of the events inJohn McPhee's 1976 non-fiction bookComing into the Country occur in Circle.
InTruman Capote's non-fiction bookIn Cold Blood,Perry Edward Smith mentions spending time with his father in Circle City.
Circle is located at65°50′4″N144°4′35″W / 65.83444°N 144.07639°W /65.83444; -144.07639 (65.834464, -144.076392).[3]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 108.2 square miles (280 km2), of which 107.7 square miles (279 km2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) (0.50%) is water.
According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Circle has asubarctic climate, abbreviated "Dfc" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Circle was 94 °F (34.4 °C) on July 25, 1955, and June 26, 2004, while the coldest temperature recorded was −60 °F (−51.1 °C) on December 15, 1946, January 23, 1951, January 19, 1952, December 24, 1961, December 28–20, 1961 and January 18, 1971.[4]
| Climate data for Circle, Alaska (Circle Hot Springs), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1935–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 49 (9) | 51 (11) | 53 (12) | 68 (20) | 90 (32) | 94 (34) | 94 (34) | 88 (31) | 78 (26) | 71 (22) | 51 (11) | 46 (8) | 94 (34) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 24.9 (−3.9) | 30.1 (−1.1) | 35.9 (2.2) | 57.5 (14.2) | 75.3 (24.1) | 83.4 (28.6) | 83.9 (28.8) | 78.9 (26.1) | 67.2 (19.6) | 48.8 (9.3) | 26.6 (−3.0) | 24.4 (−4.2) | 85.9 (29.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | −8.6 (−22.6) | 0.5 (−17.5) | 14.7 (−9.6) | 39.5 (4.2) | 58.9 (14.9) | 71.1 (21.7) | 72.4 (22.4) | 64.8 (18.2) | 52.2 (11.2) | 27.4 (−2.6) | 3.9 (−15.6) | −4.5 (−20.3) | 32.7 (0.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | −15.6 (−26.4) | −9.2 (−22.9) | 0.9 (−17.3) | 25.3 (−3.7) | 44.9 (7.2) | 56.4 (13.6) | 58.9 (14.9) | 51.8 (11.0) | 40.0 (4.4) | 18.8 (−7.3) | −4.1 (−20.1) | −12.1 (−24.5) | 21.3 (−5.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −22.6 (−30.3) | −18.9 (−28.3) | −13.0 (−25.0) | 11.0 (−11.7) | 30.9 (−0.6) | 42.6 (5.9) | 45.4 (7.4) | 38.9 (3.8) | 27.9 (−2.3) | 10.2 (−12.1) | −12.2 (−24.6) | −19.8 (−28.8) | 10.0 (−12.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −49.0 (−45.0) | −45.5 (−43.1) | −35.1 (−37.3) | −16.5 (−26.9) | 16.7 (−8.5) | 30.7 (−0.7) | 32.7 (0.4) | 24.6 (−4.1) | 13.1 (−10.5) | −7.1 (−21.7) | −31.3 (−35.2) | −39.8 (−39.9) | −50.6 (−45.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −60 (−51) | −58 (−50) | −44 (−42) | −33 (−36) | −8 (−22) | 19 (−7) | 25 (−4) | 19 (−7) | −5 (−21) | −41 (−41) | −45 (−43) | −60 (−51) | −60 (−51) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.44 (11) | 0.32 (8.1) | 0.17 (4.3) | 0.25 (6.4) | 0.71 (18) | 2.64 (67) | 2.61 (66) | 1.80 (46) | 1.35 (34) | 0.84 (21) | 0.44 (11) | 0.48 (12) | 12.05 (304.8) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 8.8 (22) | 6.3 (16) | 3.5 (8.9) | 2.5 (6.4) | 2.7 (6.9) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.3 (3.3) | 8.9 (23) | 8.0 (20) | 7.9 (20) | 49.9 (126.5) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 19.5 (50) | 20.3 (52) | 21.3 (54) | 21.6 (55) | 8.4 (21) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 2.4 (6.1) | 8.2 (21) | 11.5 (29) | 14.7 (37) | 21.6 (55) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 7.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 5.7 | 9.2 | 13.0 | 11.9 | 10.3 | 8.4 | 6.2 | 7.1 | 89.1 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 9.8 | 6.7 | 5.5 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 7.6 | 9.6 | 8.7 | 53.4 |
| Source 1: NOAA[5] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[4] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 242 | — | |
| 1910 | 144 | −40.5% | |
| 1920 | 96 | −33.3% | |
| 1930 | 50 | −47.9% | |
| 1940 | 98 | 96.0% | |
| 1950 | 83 | −15.3% | |
| 1960 | 41 | −50.6% | |
| 1970 | 54 | 31.7% | |
| 1980 | 81 | 50.0% | |
| 1990 | 73 | −9.9% | |
| 2000 | 100 | 37.0% | |
| 2010 | 104 | 4.0% | |
| 2020 | 91 | −12.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] | |||
Circle first appeared on the 1900 U.S. Census as "Circle City," although it was an unincorporated village. Its name was shortened to Circle for the 1910 census. It was made a census-designated place in 1980.
At the 2000census,[7] there were 100 people, 34 households and 22 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 0.9 inhabitants per square mile (0.35/km2). There were 42 housing units at an average density of 0.4 per square mile (0.15/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 14.00%White, 76.00%Native American, 1.00% fromother races, and 9.00% from two or more races. 4.00% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 34 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 11.8% weremarried couples living together, 32.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.48.
29.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.2 males.
Themedian household income was $11,667, and the median family income was $11,250. Males had a median income of $0 versus $23,750 for females. Theper capita income for the CDP was $6,426. There were 50.0% of families and 42.0% of the population living below thepoverty line, including 57.9% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.
Circle was established in 1893 whengold was discovered inBirch Creek;[8] it served as an unloading point for supplies shipped up theYukon River from theBering Sea. The goods were sent overland to gold mining camps. In 1896, before theKlondike Gold Rush, Circle was the largest mining town on the Yukon River and had a population of 700. It had a store, a few dance halls, an opera house, a library, a school, a hospital, anAmerican Episcopal church, a newspaper, a mill, and several federal officials: United States commissioner, marshal, customs inspector, tax collector and a postmaster.[9]
Circle lost much of its population after gold discoveries in the Klondike in 1897, andNome in 1899. A few miners stayed near Circle. Mining in the area has continued into the 21st century. Most of the residents of Circle today areAthabascan.
Yukon Flats School District operates the Circle School.[10]
Municipalities and communities ofYukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
