How long has the Kilcher family lived in Alaska?

The Kilcher family has lived in Alaska since the 1940s, when family member Yule escaped Switzerland. During this time, the area where the Kilcher homestead is located was similar to pioneer times.

When Yule first settled in Alaska, there was no indoor plumbing or electricity. Yule and his wife Ruth raised eight kids on that homestead, where the grandkids still reside. All of the kids grew up learning to farm, fish, find coal on beaches and herd cattle. The homesteading family eventually went on to have a reality TV series on the Discovery Channel. It follows the newest generation of Kilchers as they live and work on the homestead in Alaska.