Pilot Station was originally known as “Anakachak” before the village relocated about a third of a mile upriver to a site called “Potilik.” The Russian Orthodox Church, established in the early 1900s, is the oldest building in the area. The name Pilot Station was adopted in 1916, inspired by local riverboat pilots who used the village as a checkpoint. The community has a deep history of subsistence fishing and hunting, with salmon and other fish serving as staples of the local diet and economy. Residents also hunt moose and gather berries, preserving their connection to the land. Situated along the river, Pilot Station acts as a transportation hub, linking it to neighboring villages.
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English, Central Yup'ik