Kalifornsky, Alaska
Kalifornsky is a community of 8,663 people in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska.
Why visit Kalifornsky
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 29 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Orca Theater 3, Soldotna Post Office, Victor Holm Homestead and Soldotna Creek Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 66°F; January lows average 5°F.
Weather in Kalifornsky
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Kalifornsky
Kalifornsky (Denaʼina: Unhghenesditnu) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. The population was 8,487 at the 2020 census, up from 7,850 in 2010. It is the most populated locality in the borough.
From the Wikipedia article Kalifornsky, Alaska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks6
Soldotna Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.9 mi
Single-family detached home in Alaska, United States of America
Victor Holm Homestead
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.6 mi
Human settlement in United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes29
Don Jose's Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 5.9 mi
8032, 44109 Sterling Highway, Soldotna
Mo-Sa 12:00-21:00
Kaladi Brothers Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 5.7 mi
44350 Sterling Highway, Soldotna
Mo-Fr 07:00-17:00, Sa 07:00-17:00, Su 09:00-16:00
St. Elias Brewing Co.
Bar and pub · Pizza · 6.5 mi
434 Sharkathmi Avenue, Soldotna
Su-Th 12:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-23:00
Señor Panchos
Restaurant · Mexican · 5.9 mi
44906 Sterling Highway, Soldotna
Su-Sa 11:00-21:00
17 more on the map.
History
The Dena'ina name for Kalifornsky is Unhghenesditnu, meaning 'farthest creek over'.
The place name "Kalifonsky" (omitting the letter "r") was noted in 1916 by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, with its etymology attributed to an Indian word kali meaning "fishermen".
However, this place name appears to have been due to a mistaken transcription of the village name "Kalifornsky", which took its name from the surname of the village's founder, a Dena'ina Indian named Qadanalchen (meaning "acts quickly" in the Outer Inlet dialect of the Dena'ina language). Qadanalchen had worked at the Russian American colony of Fort Ross in California from about 1812 to about 1821. On his return to Alaska, Qadanalchen took the name "Kalifornsky", the Russian equivalent of "Californian".
Qadanalchen's great-great-grandson, the self-taught Dena'ina writer and ethnographer Peter Kalifornsky (1911–1993), was born in Kalifornsky village, which lay about 10 miles (16 km) south of Kenai and 4 miles (6 km) north of the mouth of the Kasilof River.
From the History section of Kalifornsky, Alaska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
Best Western King Salmon Motel
Motel and hotel · 6.0 mi
35546 Kenai Spur Highway, Soldotna
Churches and places of worship4
Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 6.8 mi
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 3.7 mi
33922 Polar Street, Soldotna
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 5.4 mi
222 West Redoubt Avenue, Soldotna
Shopping9
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Healthcare7
Fred Meyer Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 6.4 mi
43843 Sterling Highway, Soldotna
Peninsula Community Health Services
Clinic and pharmacy · 6.1 mi
230 Marydale Avenue
Map of Kalifornsky
104 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°F | 5°F | 1.4 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 9°F | 1.3 in |
| Mar | 35°F | 12°F | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 46°F | 24°F | 0.8 in |
| May | 56°F | 32°F | 0.8 in |
| Jun | 62°F | 40°F | 1.3 in |
| Jul | 66°F | 45°F | 2.0 in |
| Aug | 64°F | 43°F | 3.0 in |
| Sep | 55°F | 37°F | 4.0 in |
| Oct | 42°F | 26°F | 2.7 in |
| Nov | 28°F | 12°F | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 23°F | 8°F | 1.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Soldotna 5Ssw (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Kenai Peninsula Borough has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2022-07-26: Landslide (Mud/Landslide)
- 2022-01-15: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-09: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-01-31: Earthquake (Earthquake)
- 2018-11-30: Earthquake (Earthquake)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Soldotna Airport (SXQ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Soldotna 6 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Kenai 7 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Ridgeway 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Kasilof 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Salamatof 11 mi north, about 17 min by car
- Sterling 15 mi east, about 24 min by car
- Funny River 15 mi east, about 24 min by car
- Cohoe 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Anchor Point 51 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Diamond Ridge 53 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Kenai Church, Burntorange72 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Soldotna Post Office front view, Ozyglass, CC BY-SA 4.0
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