Iditarod River

Iditarod River in Detail.

heads at 614700N1585600W, flows NE and W to Innoko River, 25 mi. NE of Holikachuk and 66 mi. NE of Holy Cross, Innoko Low. 325 miles long.

Name reported in 1908 by A. G. Maddren, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as "Haidilatna," which is probably an English distortion by prospectors of the name of an Ingalik Indian village on stream spelled "Khadilotden" in 1915 by Father Jette. It was shortly thereafter standardized to "Iditarod" from "Haiditarod." Lieutenant L. A. Zagoskin, Imperial Russian Navy (IRN), records two Indian names for the stream in 1842-44, "Yalchikatna" obtained from the Indians on Innoko River and "Tachaichagat" apparently obtained from Indians on Kuskokwim drainage. Both seem to be different forms of the same name. Father Jette spelled the Indian name for the stream "Yachzikatna."