Historic Change: Alaska’s Controversial “Nazi Creek” Rebrands After Decades
A stream in Alaska, historically known as "Nazi Creek," has finally undergone a name change after over 70 years of dispute. This alteration comes following its reclamation from Axis Powers during World War II.
Kiska Island and Little Kiska, located at the extreme western tip of the Aleutian Islands, were seized by Japanese forces in June 1942, just months after the attack on Pearl Harbor which occurred about 1,000 miles away.
The stream, approximately one mile long, was labeled "Nazi Creek" by American soldiers, not by the Japanese military. The designation stemmed from a tactical approach employed by the US Army Air Forces, which used an alphanumeric grid system for mapping purposes during the conflict, as stated in the Dictionary of Alaska Place Names.
Following the conclusion of World War II, the name persisted at a federal level, eventually appearing on an Army map in 1953, well before Alaska officially became a state in 1959.
The military’s map-making method at the time categorized geographical features based on an alphanumeric grid, with the creek identified within the “N” grid, giving rise to its contentious name. Other nearby landmarks were similarly named, including Moron Lake, Rat Lake, Jeff Cove, Robert Ridge, and Magic Mountain.
Additionally, some locations, such as Auburn and Brunette Cove, were named after classic "pin-up" girls, reflecting the soldiers’ personal preferences.
The renaming initiative for Nazi Creek was led by Alaska historian and cartography expert Michael Livingston. He aimed to replace the existing name with one that honors the Indigenous Aleutian Unangax̂ community, the original inhabitants of the region. His proposed name evolved over time but consistently centered around "Kangchix̂," the Unangax̂ term translating to "gizzard."
Ultimately, the creek will be rebranded as "Kaxchim Chiĝanaa," meaning "creek or river belonging to gizzard island." Alongside this change, the nearby "Nip Hill," deemed an ethnic slur, will also receive a new name: "Kaxchim Qayaa," or "gizzard hill."
Livingston emphasized that the inappropriate nature of these names has persisted since the 1940s, now echoed in modern sensibilities.
This renaming effort gained traction after a unanimous vote by the Alaska Historical Commission during the spring, propelling the initiative forward. The US Board on Geographic Names has since ratified the name changes, allowing the federal government to update its records.
At the time of the Japanese invasion, around 880 Unangax̂ residents were evacuated and forced into internment camps by the United States. Tragically, approximately 80 individuals died due to illness while enduring harsh conditions, as highlighted in "Unangax̂: Coastal People of Far Southwestern Alaska," authored by anthropology professor Douglas Veltre at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Similarly, tens of thousands of individuals of Japanese descent, including American citizens, faced internment after the Pearl Harbor attack. In 1988, Congress approved reparations for both groups, acknowledging the injustices suffered while imprisoned.
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