CHICKEN, AK

Chicken is a U.S. census-designated place in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska. It is a community founded on gold mining, and is one of the few surviving gold rush towns in Alaska. The population was 12 at the time of the 2020 census, up from 7 in 2010. However, usually year round, there are 17 inhabitants. Due to mining, Chicken's population peaks during the summer. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.

History

Chicken was settled by gold miners in the late 19th century. In 1902 the local post office was established, requiring a community name. Due to the prevalence of ptarmigan in the area, that name was suggested as the official name for the new community. However, the spelling could not be agreed on, and "Chicken" was used to avoid embarrassment.

A portion of Chicken, with buildings from the early 1900s and the F.E. Company Dredge No. 4 (Pedro Dredge), is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Chicken Historic District. Chicken is the outpost for the 40 Mile mining district. There are still active gold mines and inactive gold dredges in this area. Enough gold was mined here to make it worthwhile to haul huge gold dredges to this remote location.

On September 7, 2021 Jack in the Box released an ad campaign claiming to have purchased the town for 10,000 Cluck Chicken Sandwiches and a commemorative hat. The company explains on a website created for the campaign this was only an ad, but that the company has donated $10,000 to help the town amid the pandemic. However, as of September 2021 the downtown area of Chicken (not owned by Jack in the Box) was for sale, including the Chicken Creek Cafe, the Chicken Creek Saloon, a liquor store, a gas station, the Chicken Mercantile Emporium, and a 1400 sq. ft. residential cabin.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.

Chicken is accessible by air via Chicken Airport, and by road via Alaska Route 5, the Taylor Highway, which is not maintained from mid-October through mid-March.

Climate

Chicken experiences a dry-winter subarctic climate (Köppen Dwc) with mild to warm summers and severely cold winters.

Demographics

Chicken first appeared as an unincorporated village on the 1930 U.S. Census. It appeared on the 1940 and 1950 censuses, but then did not appear again until 1980, when it was made a census-designated place (CDP). It was removed as a CDP for 1990 and did not report a population, but had its CDP status restored for 2000 and 2010.

Depictions in literature

The biographical novel Tisha: The Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaskan Wilderness, by Robert Specht, tells the story of Anne Hobbs, a white teacher in Chicken during the 1920s.

In The short story The Red Convertible, by Louise Erdrich, Henry and Lyman take a road trip from Montana to Chicken, Alaska.