before 1900, chitina was largely populated by native alaskans whose population was slowly decimated by disease, people, and conflicts. in 1900, a rush of prospectors came to the area when copper ore was discovered along the chitina river valley. stephen birch homesteaded the area in 1908 and it became a thriving community by 1914. by 1938, the mining moved on to glennallen and chitina became a ghost town. alaskans now use the area for dipnetting for salmon every summer.