Page Contents for Circle, Alaska

Statistics & Facts

Location

Weather & Climate

History & History-related items

Government

Organizations, Churches, and Sports.

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The Alaska state capital is Juneau.
The population of Circle is approximately 99 (2004), 104 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 42 (2000), 40 (2010).
The amount of land area in Circle is 11.81 sq. kilometers.
The amount of land area in Circle is 4.56 sq. miles.
The amount of surface water is 2.932 sq kilometers.
The distance from Circle to Washington DC is 3430 miles.
The distance to the Alaska state capital is 618 miles. (as the crow flies)
Circle is positioned 65.82 degrees north of the equator and 144.08 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Circle per capita income is $ 6,426 (2000).
Circle median income is $ 11,667 (2000).
Circle average annual rainfall is 6.5 inches per year
Circle average annual snowfall is 43.4 inches per year.

Location

160 miles northeast of Fairbanks at the eastern end of the Steese Highway. It is on the south bank of the Yukon River at the edge of the Yukon Flats.
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Climate

continental subarctic with long, cold winters and warm, short summers. Summer average high are usually between 65 and 72 degrees. Winter average lows are often between -71 and 0. The Yukon River remains frozen from mid-October until about mid-June.
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History & History Related Items

Circle began in 1893 as a supply center for items being shipping up the Yukon River and then to the gold camps. Because the miners thought the settlement was on the Arctic Circle, they named it Circle. It is also known as Circle City. By 1896 it was a large mining town of about 700 residents. Many stores, saloons, dance halls, an opera house, a library, churches and its own newspaper were all in Circle at the time. Once gold was discovered in Nome and Klondike, the town was mostly deserted. Only a few miners stayed but enough remained to keep the town going. Mining continues today.

The Circle Native Community Tribe is located here. The population is about 85% native with mostly Athabascan.

The community is classified as a primitive area and lacks many modern conveniences such as indoor plumbing facilities. There are plans underway to modernize the area in this respect. There is one school with a small number enrolled.

Recreational activities bring visitors to Circle. Circle Hot Springs was closed in 2002, but some people live there in the summer months. The STeese Highway provides year-round transportation, but many residents use ATVs, snowmobiles and dog sleds to get around locally. Float planes land on the river and barges deliver supplies to the community when possible. There is a 3,000 foot long lighted gravel airstrip available for use. It is maintained by the state.
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Circle City Government

Circle Village Council
P.O. Box 89
Circle, AK 99733
Phone 907-773-2822
Fax 907-773-2823

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Danzhit Hanlaii Corporation
P.O. Box 16
Circle, AK 99733
Phone 907-773-1280 Circle

Miscellany

The population of Circle was:
1990 - 73
2000 - 84
2004 - 99