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All the United States Alaska Chicken Chicken of Chicken, Alaska
AO Edited

Chicken of Chicken, Alaska

A giant poultry statue immortalizes one of Alaska's more humorous town names.

Chicken, Alaska

Added By
Kael Knight
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The Chicken chicken.   Kael Knight / Atlas Obscura User
The Chicken chicken.   Kael Knight / Atlas Obscura User
Actual chickens in Chicken.   mazaletel
The Giant Chicken in Chicken, Alaska   judyinalaska / Atlas Obscura User
Chicken, Alaska   judyinalaska / Atlas Obscura User
Downtown Chicken, Alaska, pays homage to its name.   Chris Shervey
Chicken, Alaska   judyinalaska / Atlas Obscura User
The Giant Chicken in Chicken, Alaska   judyinalaska / Atlas Obscura User
The Town of Chicken, Alaska   judyinalaska / Atlas Obscura User
The Giant Chicken in Chicken, Alaska   judyinalaska / Atlas Obscura User
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About

This huge metal chicken, named "Eggee",  perched on a hill overlooking the Pedro Dredge at Chicken Gold Camp in Chicken, Alaska, one of the few surviving gold rush towns in the state. It’s a sight you can’t miss within a small town with a name you surely won’t forget. The metal statue was created by high school students from recycled school lockers and presented to Chicken Gold Camp, which sponsors the annual Chickenstock Music Festival.

The town of Chicken was named in 1902 when the community applied for a Post Office and needed a name.  The gathering of local miners who had flocked to the town for gold chose "Ptarmigan," opting to name their little hub after the type of bird they frequently spotted in the area.

But they soon ran into a problem—no one could actually agree on how to spell "ptarmigan." So as not to ruffle the feathers of any future map readers with a fowl spelling error, the residents decided to call the town "Chicken" instead because the two birds look a bit similar and the word was easy to spell.

The tiny town—its population dips down into the single digits in the winter—celebrates its connection with the popular farm animal. Chicken’s humorous naming story is immortalized by the giant metal chicken sculpture off the main road (just off Airport Road at Chicken Gold Camp). There are other chicken decorations within the small downtown area, too, each one a charming addition to the still-active mining community.

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The statue and dredge are easily accessible at Chicken Gold Camp just off Airport Rd in Chicken.

Community Contributors

Added By

Kael Knight

Edited By

erjeffery, akbusbys, Kerry Wolfe, judyinalaska

  • erjeffery
  • akbusbys
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • judyinalaska

Published

March 26, 2018

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  • http://chickengold.com
  • https://www.chickenalaska.com/
Chicken of Chicken, Alaska
Airport Rd
Chicken, Alaska
United States
64.070613, -141.941248
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

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Eagle, Alaska

miles away

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alaska

Alaska

United States

Places 102
Stories 45

Nearby Places

Poker Creek

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miles away

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alaska

Alaska

United States

Places 102
Stories 45

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