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Georgetown
Georgetown is located on the north bank of
the upper Kuskokwim River in the Kilbuck-Kuskokwim mountains. It is east
of the mouth of the George River, 16 miles northwest of Red Devil. It
lies at approximately 61° 53' N Latitude, 157° 43' W Longitude (Sec. 18,
T021N, R046W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the
Kuskokwim Recording District. The area encompasses 25 sq. miles of land
and 1 sq. miles of water.
 The
middle Kuskokwim area first experienced contact with Europeans when the
Russian explorer Zagoskin sailed upriver to McGrath in 1844. At that
time, Georgetown was known as Keledzhichagat, a summer fish camp for
residents of Kwigiumpainukamiut. Gold was found along the George River
in 1909. This mining settlement and the river were named for three
traders: George Hoffman, George Fredericks and George Morgan. By 1910,
about 300 prospectors were living on the west side of the George River.
About 200 cabins had been built, when a fire swept through the
settlement in 1911, destroying all but 25 cabins. Also saved were the
two general stores in town -- the Kuskokwim Commercial Company and the
Northern Commercial Company. By 1953, the only large structure that
remained at the site was the two-story log house belonging to George
Fredericks. In the 1950s, the present settlement, on the east side of
the George River, began to develop. A State school was established in
1965, and remained until 1970.
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