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located at 61°53'N 157°42'W on the north bank of the
upper Kuskokwim River in the Kilbuck-Kuskokwim mountains. It is
16 miles (26 km) downstream of Red Devil just upstream of the mouth
of the George River.
In 1909, gold was discovered up the George River and a mining
settlement quickly developed.
The settlement and the river were named for three traders named
George: George Hoffman, George Fredericks and George Morgan. By
1910, the population of Georgetown increased to about 300 with
about 200 dwellings due to the mining activity. A fire swept through
the town in 1911 and destroyed most of these buildings. By 1953,
the only large structure that remained at the original site was
the two-story log house belonging to George Fredericks.
A second settlement began to develop east of the George River,
and this settlement was also called Georgetown. A state school
was established in 1965. As mining activity declined, residents
began leaving and the school was closed in 1970.
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