The History of King Salmon

King Salmon is located on the north bank of the Naknek River on the Alaska Peninsula, about 15 miles upriver from Naknek. It is 284 miles southwest of Anchorage. It lies at approximately 58° 41' N Latitude, 156° 39' W Longitude (Sec. 23, T017S, R045W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the Kvichak Recording District. The area encompasses 219 sq. miles of land and 19 sq. miles of water.

In the 1930s, an air navigation silo was built at the site of present-day King Salmon. At the beginning of World War II, the U.S. built an Air Force base. It was maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration throughout the war. In 1949, a post office was established, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a road to Naknek. Other government quarters, such as National Park Service, Fish & Game, and the weather bureau, were developed. The King Salmon Inn opened in 1956. The community has grown as a government, transportation, and service center for the commercial red salmon and recreational visitor industries. The air force base was closed in 1993.

To Community Histories Index Alaska DCCED Community Database Online

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