Toksook Bay, Alaska

Toksook Bay
Nunakauyaq, Tuqsuq/Tuqsuk
Aerial photo of Toksook Bay Airport
Aerial photo of Toksook Bay Airport
Toksook Bay is located in Alaska
Toksook Bay
Toksook Bay
Location in Alaska
Coordinates: 60°31′50″N 165°06′12″W / 60.53056°N 165.10333°W / 60.53056; -165.10333
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
Census AreaBethel
IncorporatedApril 4, 1972[1]
Government
 • MayorSam Chanar
 • State senatorLyman Hoffman (D)
 • State rep.Conrad McCormick (D)
Area
 • Total70.53 sq mi (182.67 km2)
 • Land28.71 sq mi (74.35 km2)
 • Water41.82 sq mi (108.32 km2)
Elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total658
 • Density22.92/sq mi (8.85/km2)
Time zoneUTC−9 (Alaska (AKST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−8 (AKDT)
ZIP Code
99637
Area code907
FIPS code02-78240
GNIS feature ID1411060, 2418864

Toksook Bay (TOOK-sook or TUCK-sook)[3] is a city[4][5] and village on Nelson Island in Bethel Census Area, Alaska. The population was 590 at the 2010 census, up from 532 in 2000. As of 2018, the estimated population was 667,[4][6] making it the largest village on the island.

Toksook Bay (pronounced Tuqsuk Bay in Yup'ik) was established in 1964 by residents of nearby Nightmute. Nunakauyaq is its ‘real name’.[7][8] Almost the entire population are members of the Alaska Native Nunakauyarmiut ("People of Nunakauyaq"), who rely on fishing and other subsistence activities.

  1. ^ 1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau: Alaska Municipal League/Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs. January 1996. p. 152.
  2. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  3. ^ "Toksook Bay". Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Toksook Bay city, Alaska". Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  5. ^ "Alaska Taxable 2011: Municipal Taxation - Rates and Policies" (PDF). Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. January 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2013.
  6. ^ "Toksook Bay, Alaska". City Data. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  7. ^ Dick Anthony (January 1995). "Toksook Mask Exhibit" (.DOC). Negta/Nightmute, Alaska. The village was called Nunakauyaq before people started calling it Toksook. When people relocated here, they started searching a new name for it. When people met and began tossing different names around, one of them said—these places we call kangiqutat, are they called bay in English? Then these two young men said that we should call it Toksook Bay [Tuqsuk Bay]. Then that name was picked. The real name [atpi-a] for the place was Nunakauyaq.
  8. ^ Miyaoka, Osahito (2010). "Number" (.DOC). A Grammar of Central Alaskan Yupik. Nunakauyaq is the 'real name' (atpi-a) for Toksook Bay (on Nelson Island), while Tuqsuk is a new name given after the river going from the Bay to Negta (Nightmiut) when a part of people moved from the latter village to the new site (David Chanar, p.c.).