Town of Chinik, now known as Golovin

• Other Authors: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Golovin (Alaska) > Buildings; structures; etc; Goldfields; Golovin; eskimo*; Seward Peninsula; Alaska
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/alaskawcanada/id/78

Caption on image: Town of Chinik - Golovin Bay Filed in Alaska--Cities--Chinik Golovin in a village on the point between Golovnin Bay and Golovnin Lagoon, 42 miles east of Solomon on the Seward Peninsula. It was first reported as an Eskimo village in 1842-44 and was called "Ikalikhvig-myut. About 1890, one of the employees of the nearby Omalik mines married an Eskimo woman and established a trading post there. This man, John Dexter, became the center for prospecting information on the Seward Peninsula. With the discovery of gold in 1898, Golovin became a supply-relay point of the Council goldfields to the north. In 1899, the Chenik Post Office was established there but was discontinued in 1903. Also in 1899, the Golovin Post Office was established to the south, probably at Golovin Mission, but was discontinued in 1904. John Dexter was listed as postmaster at both locations. The name Golovin derived from Golovnin Bay and Lagoon and has become well established with only one "n." [Source: Donald Orth. Dictionary of Alaska Place Names: Geological Survey Professional Paper 567. Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1967.]