It is the traditional home to the community of Chenega, though much of its population eventually migrated to Chenega Bay on nearby Evans Island after the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and accompanying tsunami.
Chenega Island and its surrounding habitat were also heavily impacted by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.
The island has a land area of 57.084 km2 (22.04 sq mi) and, after the mass emigration, was unpopulated as of the 2000 census.
The present (new) Chenega, a census-designated place (CDP), is located on Evans Island.
This article about a location in the Chugach Census Area, Alaska is a stub.