McGrath

History

The Old Town McGrath site, across the river from present-day McGrath, was a meeting and trading place for Big River, Nikolai, Telida, and Lake Minchumina villagers. In 1904, Abraham Appel established a trading post in Old Town. In 1906, gold was discovered in the Innoko District, and in 1907, and at . Since McGrath was the northernmost point on the Kuskokwim River accessible by large riverboats, it became a regional supply center. A town was established at the site of Old McGrath in 1907, and was named for Peter McGrath, a local United States Marshal. The Iditarod Trail also contributed to McGrath's role as a supply center. From 1911 to 1920, hundreds of people walked and mushed over the trail on their way to the Ophir gold districts. Mining sharply declined after 1925. After a major flood in 1933, some residents moved across the river. Changes in the course of the river eventually left the old site on a slough, making it useless as a river stop. In 1940, an airstrip was cleared, the United States Federal Aviation Administration built a communications complex, and a school was opened. McGrath became an important refueling stop for Lend-Lease equipment during World War II.

Geography

McGrath is located in Interior Alaska, 221 miles northwest of Anchorage and 269 miles southwest of Fairbanks. It is situated along the convergence of the Takotna River and the south bank of the Kuskokwim River. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (10.48%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Common Raven

  Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  15
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  14
• Dark-eyed Junco

  Junco hyemalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  12
• Yellow-rumped Warbler

  Setophaga coronata (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  11
• Fox Sparrow

  Passerella iliaca (Merrem, 1786) · Aves
  10
• Violet-green Swallow

  Tachycineta thalassina (Swainson, 1827) · Aves
  10
• White-crowned Sparrow

  Zonotrichia leucophrys (J.R.Forster, 1772) · Aves
  10
• Common Redpoll

  Acanthis flammea (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10

Most recent

• M 2.6 — 2026-07-16
  14 km WSW of Takotna, Alaska
• M 3.2 — 2026-04-27
  45 km N of Nikolai, Alaska
• M 3.4 — 2025-10-07
  12 km WSW of Takotna, Alaska
• M 2.8 — 2025-07-09
  13 km WSW of Takotna, Alaska
• M 2.5 — 2025-03-02
  12 km WSW of Takotna, Alaska
• M 3.1 — 2025-01-30
  13 km WSW of Takotna, Alaska