Pop 173 (Upper), 283 (Lower)

The villages of Upper and Lower Kalskag are situated only two miles from each other on the Kuskokwim River. The two communities are joined by a dirt and gravel road, which is maintained year-round by the state.

Upper Kalskag – The village of Upper Kalskag, Or “Upper” as residents call it, was founded in 1898 when Nicholas Kameroff, Sr. and his wife, Olinga, settled there with their eight children. Around the early 1900s, an increasing number of people began to make their homes in the area, many of them moving from the village of Kalthagamut. A federally recognized tribe, The Village of Kalskag, is located in Upper. The majority of residents rely upon subsistence activities, and salmon, moose, rabbit and waterfowl are important sources of food. The sale and importation of spirits is banned, and the village is a traditional Yup’ik community with strong ties to the Catholic Church.

Lower Kalskag – Lower Kalskag is situated on a site that was originally used as a fish camp by residents of Upper. In the 1930s, many Russian Orthodox residents of Upper moved to Lower Kaskag.

The Village of Lower Kalskag is a federally recognized tribe, and like Upper Kalskag, the sales and importation of alcohol is prohibited. The community practices a traditional way of life; subsistence provides a majority of the food for residents who fish for salmon and hunt for moose, waterfowl, black bear and porcupine.

The Kuskokwim Corp.
4300 B Street, Suite 207
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 243-2944