York, Alaska

York was a settlement in the U.S. state of Alaska. The mining camp was situated at the mouth of Anikovik River, at Cape York on the Seward Peninsula. It was a distributing point for the region lying to the north. In the spring of 1900, York promised to be a place of importance, but in the early fall, its population had been reduced to about 20–30. The settlement included a number of log cabins and half a dozen substantial frame buildings. During the stormy months of the fall, landing at York was difficult. It was reached overland with horses from Port Clarence. Fifteen miles to the west of York, at Cape Prince of Wales, is the city of Kengegan (Wales), which is the westernmost settlement on the North American continent.[1] York is about 80 miles (130 km) from Nome and 45 miles (72 km) from Port Clarence. The lack of shelter from southerly storms made the landing at York during the fall months often both difficult and dangerous.[2] The post office established here in April 1900 was discontinued in 1902.[3] York's entire population was killed off during the Spanish flu and the disease likely reached Wales from York where it went on to kill 170 of the town's 310 residents.[4]

References
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: U.S. Geological Survey's "Reconnaissances in the Cape Nome and Norton Bay regions, Alaska, in 1900" (1901)
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: M. Baker's "Geographic dictionary of Alaska" (1906)
  1. Geological Survey (U.S.); Alfred Hulse Brooks; Arthur James Collier; Walter Curran Mendenhall; George Burr Richardson (1901). Reconnaissances in the Cape Nome and Norton Bay regions, Alaska, in 1900. Government Printing Office. pp. 69–. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  2. Geological Survey (1901), p. 138
  3. Baker, Marcus (1906). Geographic dictionary of Alaska (Public domain ed.). Govt. Print. Off. pp. 686–. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  4. Lynette Iezzoni's Influenza 1918: The Worst Epidemic In American History, pg 167.


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