The History of Lower Kalskag

Lower Kalskag is located on the north bank of the Kuskokwim River, 2 miles downriver from Upper Kalskag. It lies 26 miles west of Aniak, 64 miles northeast of Bethel, and 350 miles west of Anchorage. It lies at approximately 61° 30' N Latitude, 160° 21' W Longitude (Sec. 02, T016N, R062W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the Kuskokwim Recording District. The area encompasses 1 sq. miles of land and 0 sq. miles of water.

The site was originally used as a fish camp for families of Upper Kalskag, two miles to the northeast. In 1930, people began to establish year-round homes. The Russian Orthodox residents of Upper Kalskag, a predominantly Roman Catholic village, moved to Lower Kalskag because of religious differences. The Russian Orthodox Chapel of St. Seraphim was built in 1940. A school was built in 1959, followed by a post office in 1962, a sawmill in 1965, and a power plant in 1969.

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History and map graphic used with permission from the Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development