The original village of Chenega, located on Chenega Island, was destroyed in 1964 by a tsunami from the Good Friday earthquake, which killed a third of the 68 people who then lived there. A post office operated here from 1946-1964. Some residents moved into a refugee camp; others moved to other towns. In 1982, one family moved to Evans Island and between 1984-1991 about 26 other families migrated to the new location, now called Chenega Bay. Former and current Chenega residents gathered each Good Friday to remember the dead of Chenega. On the 25th Good Friday after the earthquake, in 1989, the oil tankerExxon Valdezran aground in Prince William Sound, causing an oil spill that again devastated Chenega and other places around the area economically.
Geography
Chenega is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of, of which, of it is land and of it is water.
Demographics
(Old) Chenega (1880-1964)
The original Chenega, then located on the south end of Chenega Island at, first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as an unincorporated Sugpiaq village. It reported on the 1890 census as "Ingamatsha." 71 of the residents were Native Alaskans and 2 were "Creole". It returned again in 1900 as Chenega. It did not appear on the 1910 & 1920 censuses. It appeared as "Chanega" in 1930 & 1940 and lastly as Chenega in 1950 and 1960. It was largely destroyed in the Good Friday Earthquake of 1964 and its residents relocated. The old village has not reported on the census since. Some buildings still remain as of 2019.
(New) Chenega or Chenega Bay (1990-)
The Chenega first appeared on the 1990 U.S. Census as a census-designated place. It was founded in 1982 by former residents from the Old Chenega and is located on the east side of Evans Island, named for the old village and island. As of the census of 2000, there were 86 people, 22 households, and 17 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3.0 people per square mile. There were 27 housing units at an average density of 0.9/sq mi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 22.09% White, 73.26% Native American, and 4.65% from two or more races. Of the 22 households, 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couplesliving together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.55 and the average family size was 3.83. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 33.7% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 132.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.2 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $53,750, and the median income for a family was $58,750. Males had a median income of $75,938 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,382. There were 16.7% of families and 15.6% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.
