Nelchina, AK

Nelchina is a census-designated place in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, situated about thirty miles west of Glennallen at an elevation of 2,402 feet. The Ahtna Athabascan name refers to the Little Nelchina River that flows through the region. Gold discoveries in the creeks draining the Chugach Mountains brought prospectors to the area in the late 1800s. The community had a population of 46 at the 2020 census and was previously served by the Lottie Sparks School, operated by the Copper River School District.