Tetlin

History

The semi-nomadic Athabascan Indians have historically lived in this area, moving with the seasons between several hunting and fishing camps. In 1885, Lt. H.T. Allen found small groups of people living in Tetlin and Last Tetlin, to the south. The residents of Last Tetlin had made numerous to trading posts on the Yukon River. In 1912, the villagers from Tetlin would trade at the Tanana Crossing Trading Post. During the Chisana gold stampede in 1913, a trading post was established across the river from Tetlin. When two trading posts were opened in the village during the 1920s by John Hajdukovich and W.H. Newton, residents from Last Tetlin relocated to Tetlin. A school was constructed in 1929, and a post office was opened in 1932. The Tetlin Indian Reserve was established in 1930. An airstrip was constructed in 1946. When the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act(ANCSA) was passed in 1971, the reserve was revoked. Tetlin opted for surface and subsurface title to the of land in the former Reserve.

Geography

Tetlin is located at (63.137840, -142.524451). Tetlin is located along the Tetlin River, between Tetlin Lake and the Tanana River, about southeast of Tok. It lies in the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. The village is connected by a dirt road to the Alaska Highway. The community is located in the Fairbanks Recording District. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (2.14%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  69
• Trumpeter/Tundra Swan

  Cygnus buccinator Richardson, 1831 · Aves
  61
• Horned Grebe

  Podiceps auritus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  60
• Common Raven

  Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  58
• Lesser Scaup

  Aythya affinis (Eyton, 1838) · Aves
  55
• Swainson's Thrush

  Catharus ustulatus (Nuttall, 1840) · Aves
  52
• Red-necked Grebe

  Podiceps grisegena (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  51
• white-winged scoter

  Melanitta deglandi (Bonaparte, 1850) · Aves
  51

Largest nearby schools

• Tetlin School
  Other · Tetlin · 38 students · 9.5:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3 — 2026-09-24
  13 km ENE of Slana, Alaska
• M 3.1 — 2026-08-28
  13 km N of Mentasta Lake, Alaska
• M 2.9 — 2026-01-25
  32 km ESE of Nabesna, Alaska
• M 2.7 — 2026-01-07
  37 km NW of Mentasta Lake, Alaska
• M 3 — 2024-12-23
  31 km ESE of Slana, Alaska
• M 2.9 — 2024-06-01
  21 km SSW of Tanacross, Alaska