Glennallen Ciisik’e Na’
CDP
Location of Glennallen, Alaska
Coordinates: 62°6′35″N 145°33′26″W / 62.10972°N 145.55722°W / 62.10972; -145.55722
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Census Area	Copper River
Government
• State senator	Click Bishop (R)
• State rep.	Mike Cronk (R)
Area [1]
• Total	115.60 sq mi (299.41 km2)
• Land	115.07 sq mi (298.04 km2)
• Water	0.53 sq mi (1.37 km2)
Elevation	1,434 ft (437 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	439
• Density	3.81/sq mi (1.47/km2)
Time zone	UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-8 (AKDT)
ZIP code	99588
Area code	907
FIPS code	02-28740
GNIS feature ID	1402643

Glennallen /ɡlɛˈnælən/ (Ciisik’e Na’ in Ahtna) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Copper River Census Area^{[lower-alpha 1]} in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population of the CDP was 439, down from 483 in 2010.^[3] It is the most populated community in the census area.

Geography and climate

History and culture

Downtown Glennallen, Alaska

In earlier times, the Ahtna Alaska Natives roamed the Copper River Valley in search of fish and game, both of which are usually plentiful there. Ahtna now live in several communities around Glennallen. In 1899, the U.S. Army built a pack trail for summer use between the port of Valdez and Eagle, which passed through the Copper River Valley. In the early 20th century, the trail was widened and became the Richardson Highway.

During World War II, the United States built a series of military bases in Alaska, primarily for the purpose of supplying aircraft and other war materiel to Russia by way of Alaska and the Russian Far East as part of the Lend-lease program. This made it difficult for the Germans to the west and the Japanese to the south of Russia to interfere with the supply operation. As part of this operation, highways were built to supply the bases. The major highway project of this effort was the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada to the existing Richardson Highway at Delta Junction, Alaska and thus to Fairbanks via the Richardson Highway. Another project was the Glenn Highway, which connected Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, with the Richardson Highway, and thus with the rest of Alaska, Canada, and the then-48 United States.

Construction for the Glenn Highway began at a camp on the Richardson Highway in the Copper River Valley named Glennallen after two U.S. Army explorers of the late 19th century: Capt. Edwin Forbes Glenn and Lt. Henry T. Allen. The highway was completed in 1945. Glennallen developed as a small community around the site of the camp. It became a commercial center for motor traffic along the Glenn and Richardson highways. It is one of the few communities in the region that was not built on the site of a Native village.

During the 1950s and 1960s, another highway, the Tok Cut-Off, was constructed from a point 15 miles north of Glennallen to the community of Tok, 135 miles east on the Alaska Highway. This enhanced Glennallen as a commercial center. Also, in 1956, a Jesuit school, Copper Valley School, was opened. This facility increased the population considerably by bringing to the region a number of staff and students from Holy Cross Mission in western Alaska. In 1961 "Glenallen" was officially renamed "Glennallen" by the US Postal Service, adding the extra 'n'.

Glennallen's economy grew with the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System from 1975–1977 and the continuing service needs of the pipeline. The economy of the area was negatively impacted by the construction of the George Parks Highway, which connected Anchorage to Denali National Park and Fairbanks along the Alaska Railroad route, bypassing Glennallen.

Demographics

Glennallen first appeared on the 1950 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980.

As of the census^[8] of 2000, there were 554 people, 204 households, and 136 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4.9 inhabitants per square mile (1.9/km²). There were 269 housing units at an average density of 0.9/km² (2.4/sq mi). The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.20% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 5.05% Native American or Alaska Native, 0.18% Asian, 1.44% Pacific Islander, and 7.94% from two or more races. 0.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 204 households, 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.31.

The age distribution was 31.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $38,846, and the median income for a family was $40,909. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $28,125 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $17,084. About 4.6% of families and 8.04% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Facilities, utilities, schools, and health care

Economy and transportation

Parks

The 17 miles (27 km) road to Lake Louise State Recreation Area is west of Glenallen on the Glenn Highway. North of town on the Richardson Highway is the Dry Creek State Recreation Site, a 360 acres (150 ha) park with a large campground, trails, and fishing for trout. The access road is known to be rough and the area is known for mosquitos.^[9][10]

Footnotes

References

External links

• Alaska Division of Community Advocacy - Community Information Summary

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Glennallen, Alaska.