An assortment of homes and cabins dots the road for the next two miles and comprises the town of Chiniak. Originally a native Alutiiq outpost, the population here exploded during WWII, following construction of a road from Olds River. The Army, Navy, and Air Force have based operations here, with workers living in Quonset huts and military housing. But following the closure of the housing in 1954, the residents built the “town.” Electrified in 1969 with a peak of 55 customers, the village flourished, with construction of a school, post office and library. Closure of Air Force operations in 1975 nearly emptied the town, but it lives on, populated by retirees, workers at the Aerospace complex, and town commuters. The elementary school is open and closed, based on numbers, and the same goes for the local restaurant.
