What the record shows
The federal survey describes the site: site of Eskimo village on Chukchi Sea coast, at Point Collie SW of Wainwright, Arctic Plain
"The 11th Census in 1890 (1893, p. 133) stated, ""The Koog river debouches close to the village that bears its name, near Poiht Collie."" This may be the same village with a population of 80 that Lieutenant Ray (1885, p. 38), USA, recorded as ""Kunmeum,"" ""near Wainwright Inlet."" The Eskimo word ""kuk"" means ""river,"" and ""kukmiut"" means ""river people."""
Kukappears in the U.S. Geological Survey's place-name archive as a historical populated place — a settlement that once carried a name and no longer does. Our editors are verifying its full story against census records, newspaper archives, and county histories; this record will grow as sources are confirmed.
Before you visit
Unverified sites may sit on private land, and coordinates from historical records can be imprecise. Verify land status and access before traveling. Take photographs, leave nails — removing artifacts from federal land is a crime.
See it in context on the national atlas map.
From the field
The most valuable part of this record is the part only visitors can write.
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