Neighbors of The Nave: Native Village of Georgetown
Down the street from the Nave, where Spenard Road bends toward Minnesota, there is a quiet, tin-sided building next door to the now-shuttered Cyber City Cafe. This is the office of the Georgetown Tribal Council - the governing body of the Native Village of Georgetown. This federally recognized Tribe represents approximately 160 enrolled members whose ancestral homeland lies at the confluence of the Kuskokwim and George Rivers in the Kilbuck-Kuskokwim Mountains. That’s a long way from Spenard, so we visited our neighbors to learn more about Native Village of Georgetown.
Originally known as Keledzhichagat, the area first experienced contact with Russian explorer Lavrenty Zagoskin in 1844. After gold was discovered in 1909, prospectors formed a mining settlement; in 1911, a fire destroyed all but 25 of its 200 log cabins. As mining and employment opportunities declined, members were eventually forced to leave Georgetown.
While no tribal members currently live in Georgetown year-round, the community maintains its close relationship with the land through environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, subsistence activities, and gatherings. With the passage of ANCSA in 1971, 38 former Georgetown residents and their descendants enrolled to take ownership of their ancestral lands. In the decades since, membership has grown to approximately 160 descendants.
"Sense of Place is a critical component to the cultural survival of people in a community. In cases where communities are no longer inhabited, a documented history and way of life play a vital role in providing knowledge necessary to strengthen one's sense of place." - Jonathan Samuelson, Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Middle Kuskokwim
From its Anchorage office on Spenard Road, the Native Village of Georgetown serves members across Alaska through cultural connections, environmental initiatives, and community engagement. Efforts include (but are not limited to) recording oral histories with Elders and youth, collecting resources for the Georgetown Library Project, and creating opportunities for members of all ages to reconnect with ancestral lands. The Georgetown Tribal Council works to ensure members can experience their homeland and carry its stories, teachings, and traditions forward. Through cultural programming, community events, and stewardship, the Tribe preserves Georgetown's legacy for future generations.
You never know who you'll meet when walking down Spenard Road! We are proud to call the Native Village of Georgetown our neighbor. Thank you to Georgetown Tribal Council for allowing us to visit and connect.
Learn more at https://www.georgetowntc.com/
Neighbors of The Nave is a series of interviews, profiles, and updates related to our neighboring businesses and organizations located in the Spenard neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska. The goal of this series is to amplify the positive efforts of local small business owners, artists, and community organizers to support and empower their neighbors. If you or someone you know would like to be featured, please contact us at info@thenavespenard.com.