AKIAK

The History of Akiak

Akiak is located on the west bank of the Kuskokwim River, 42 air miles northeast of Bethel, on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. It lies at approximately 60° 55' N Latitude, 161° 13' W Longitude (Sec. 32, T010N, R067W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the Bethel Recording District. The area encompasses 2 sq. miles of land and 1 sq. miles of water.

In 1880, the village of "Ackiagmute" had a population of 175. The name Akiak means "the other side," since this place was a crossing to the Yukon River basin during the winter for area Eskimos. The Akiak post office was established in 1916. A U.S. Public Health Service hospital was built in the 1920s.