Chistochina Lodge was built as a roadhouse for prospectors. The Trail was used for construction of U.S. Army Signal Corps telegraph lines from Valdez to Eagle between 1901 and 1904. Gold was mined along the upper Chistochina River and its runoff creeks. The area was settled by homesteaders, although it has remained a traditional Native village. Culture Chistochina is the most traditional of all Copper River Athabascan Indian villages.
Subsistence is a crucial component of the lifestyle.
Economy Subsistence hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering are the basis of the village's economy. Most cash employment is seasonal. Some residents use individual septic tanks, but the majority have outhouses or pit privies. Electricity is provided out of Tok. Refuse disposal at the local landfill is the responsibility of each individual.