Keywords: View of Ruby from the Yukon River, ca 1912 (THWAITES 338).jpeg uncategorized 27 October 2016 Photograph Creator John E Thwaites Caption on image Ruby on the Yukon Alaska PH Coll 247 806<br/>Ruby is located on the south bank of the Yukon River in the Kilbuck-Kuskokwim Mountains It is about 50 air miles east of Galena and 230 air miles west of Fairbanks Ruby lies adjacent to the Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge Ruby's current residents are Koyukon Athabascans of the Nowitna-Koyukuk band a nomadic group who followed game with the changing seasons There were 12 summer fish camps located on the Yukon River between the Koyukuk River and the Nowitna River Ruby developed as a supply point for gold prospectors It was named after the red-colored stones found on the riverbank which were thought by prospectors to be rubies A gold strike at Ruby Creek in 1907 and another at Long Creek in 1911 attracted hundreds of prospectors to the area At one time over 1 000 white miners lived in Ruby and the nearby creeks Placerville Poorman Sulatna Crossing Kokrines and Long Creek were some of the area's boom settlements A post office was established in 1912 and Ruby incorporated as a city in 1913 Initially the City was governed by miner's meetings then later by Pioneer Igloo Number 5 After the gold rush the population declined rapidly By 1939 there were only 139 residents During World War II the mining operations were shut down and most of the white residents left After the war the remaining residents of nearby Kokrines relocated to Ruby and the population began to increase Ruby incorporated as a second class city in 1973 Today the traditional Athabascan culture and subsistence practices are the focal point of village life Subjects LCSH Ruby Alaska ; Cities and towns--Alaska--Ruby; Yukon River Yukon and Alaska depicted place United States--Alaska--Ruby ca 1912 Institution University of Washington UWASH-THWAITES-source accession number thwaites 338 PD-old-auto-1923 1940 Information field Order Number THW352 Images from the John E Thwaites Photographs of Alaska Collection to check |