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Fort St. Michael was built by the Russian-American Company in 1833; it was the northernmost Russian settlement in Alaska. The Native village of Tachik stood to the northeast. During the gold rush of 1897, it was a trading post for Eskimos. The existing Native trade monopoly was difficult for the Russians to break into. Centralization of people from surrounding villages intensified after the measles epidemic of 1900 and the influenza epidemic of 1918 wiped out many small settlements. 91.2 percent of the population are Natives. A federally-recognized Native organization is located in the community. St. Michael is largely an Eskimo population today, with strong historical Russian influences. Seal, beluga whale, moose, caribou, fish and berries are important staples. The sale or importation of alcohol is banned in the village. During the April 1990 U.S. Census, there were 78 total housing units, and nine of these were vacant. 74 jobs were estimated to be in the community. The official unemployment rate at that time was 22.9 percent. 60.6 percent of all adults were not in the work force. the median household income was $23,194, and 20.9 percent of residents were living below the poverty level.
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