The History of Oscarville

Oscarville is located on the north bank of the Kuskokwim River opposite Napaskiak, 6 miles southwest of Bethel. It lies 401 miles west of Anchorage. It lies at approximately 60° 43' N Latitude, 161° 46' W Longitude (Sec. 05, T007N, R071W, 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 1908, Oscar Samuelson and his wife, an Eskimo from the Nushagak region, moved from Napaskiak across the River and opened a trading post. A few Native families settled nearby and the site came to be known as Oscarville. Samuelson managed the store for 45 years, until his death in 1953. By 1955, there were 13 homes and two warehouses in the village. The Samuelsons continued to operate the store until 1975 when it was sold; it was closed in the early 1980s. A school was built by the BIA in 1964.

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