Ruby, Alaska
City in Alaska, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ruby (Koyukon: Tl'aa'ologhe) is an incorporated town in central western Alaska, situated on the south bank of the Yukon River at the northwesternmost tip of the Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge. It is accessible only by boat or air. A formerly sizeable gold-mining and lumbering town servicing the region, Ruby had a population of 139 at the 2020 census, with only a general store and post office remaining as businesses.[3]
Ruby
Tl'aa'ologhe | |
|---|---|
Ruby in the 1940s | |
| Nickname: The Gem of the Yukon | |
  Ruby Location in Alaska | |
| Coordinates: 64°44′14″N 155°29′16″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Yukon-Koyukuk |
| Incorporated | September 25, 1973[1] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Elizabeth Captain |
| • State senator | Click Bishop (R) |
| • State rep. | Mike Cronk (R) |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.02 sq mi (18.19 km2) |
| • Land | 7.02 sq mi (18.19 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 249 ft (76 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 139 |
| • Density | 19.8/sq mi (7.64/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code | 99768 |
| Area code | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-65590 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1408878 |
It is served by Ruby Airport.
History
The town of Ruby was established in 1911 as the result of a gold rush. The amount of gold that is in the Fairbanks district is over 8 million troy ounces (250 tonnes) of gold, lodes have yielded over 4 million ounces.[citation needed] Gold was first discovered at the current townsite in 1906 on Ruby Creek. That discovery brought more prospectors to the area. In 1910 word leaked out about a gold strike on Long Creek, 30 miles south of Ruby, and a stampede was on. Discoveries on other nearby creeks followed and Ruby became the supply point for the mines.
At its peak the population was near 3,000, but by 1918 the town was in steep decline. Many of the men had left to fight in World War I, and several of the towns business people and their families were lost in the sinking of the Canadian passenger liner Sophia. A fire in 1929 destroyed much of the business district and a flood in 1931 took out what was left of buildings on the riverfront.
After World War II, Native Americans from near-by Kokrines relocated to Ruby to take advantage of the abandoned homes. There are currently fewer than 200 people living in Ruby.
The largest gold nugget ever found in Alaska, 294.10 troy ounces (322.67 oz; 9,148 g), was found near Ruby in 1998.[4]
Geography
Ruby is located at 64°44′14″N 155°29′16″W (64.737306, -155.487693).[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.6 square miles (20 km2).
Demographics
Ruby first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1973.
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Ruby had a population of 139. The median age was 38.5 years. 27.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 117.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 106.1 males age 18 and over.[7][8]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[9]
There were 56 households in Ruby, of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 26.8% were married-couple households, 28.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 25.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[7]
There were 103 housing units, of which 45.6% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.3%.[7]
| Race | Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White | 8 | 5.8% |
| Black or African American | 0 | 0.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 125 | 89.9% |
| Asian | 0 | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0 | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 6 | 4.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 1 | 0.7% |
2000 census
As of the 2000 census,[10] there were 188 people, 68 households, and 42 families residing in the city. The population density was 24.9 inhabitants per square mile (9.6/km2). There were 107 housing units at an average density of 14.2 per square mile (5.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 82.98% Native American, 13.83% White, and 3.19% from two or more races.
There were 68 households, out of which 44.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 37.8% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,375, and the median income for a family was $26,667. Males had a median income of $21,250 versus $24,167 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,544. 32.3% of the population and 23.8% of families were below the poverty line. 45.3% of those under the age of 18 are living below the poverty line.
Education
The Yukon–Koyukuk School District operates the Merreline A. Kangas School in Ruby.[11]
Notable people
- Barry Clay (born 1955), Discovered Alaska's largest gold nugget, 294 oz (9.15 kg), in 1998 in the Ruby mining district
- Emmitt Peters (1940–2020), Last rookie to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (in 1975)