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Ketchikan Alaska
Location and
Climate
Ketchikan is located on the western coast of
Revillagigedo Island, near the southernmost boundary of
Alaska. It is 679 miles north of Seattle and 235 miles south
of Juneau. The 2.2 million acre Misty Fiords National
Monument lies 22 air miles east of Ketchikan. It is the
first Alaska port of call for northbound cruise ships and
State ferries. Ketchikan is located in the Ketchikan
Recording District. The area encompasses 3 sq. miles of land
and 1 sq. miles of water. The area lies in the maritime
climate zone noted for its warm winters, cool summers, and
heavy precipitation. Summer temperatures range from 51 to
65; winter temperatures range from 29 to 39. Ketchikan
averages 162 inches (13.5 feet) of precipitation annually,
including 32 inches of snowfall.
History, Culture and
Demographics
Tongass and Cape Fox Tlingits have used Ketchikan Creek
as a fish camp which they called "kitschk-hin," meaning
creek of the "thundering wings of an eagle." The abundant
fish and timber resources attracted non-Natives to
Ketchikan. In 1885, Mike Martin bought 160 acres from Chief
Kyan, which later became the township. The first cannery
opened in 1886 near the mouth of Ketchikan Creek and four
more were built by 1912. The Ketchikan Post Office was
established in 1892. In the late 1890s, nearby gold and
copper discoveries briefly brought activity to Ketchikan as
a mining supply center. By 1936, seven canneries were in
operation, producing 1.5 million cases of salmon. The need
for lumber for new construction and packing boxes spawned
the Ketchikan Spruce Mills in 1903, which operated for over
70 years. Spruce was in high demand during World War II, and
Ketchikan became a supply center for area logging. A $55
million pulp mill was constructed at Ward Cove near
Ketchikan in 1954. Its operation fueled the growth of the
community. The mill's 50-year contract with the U.S. Forest
service for timber was canceled, and the pulp mill closed in
March 1997.
15.7% of the population are
Alaska Natives. A federally recognized tribe is located in
the community. Ketchikan is a diverse community. The largest
collection of totem poles in the world is found here at
Totem Bight State Historical Park, Saxman Native Village,
and the Totem Heritage Center Museum.
Economy and
Transportation
Ketchikan is an industrial center and a major port of
entry in Southeast Alaska, with a diverse economy. Ketchikan
is supported by a large fishing fleet, fish processing
facilities, timber and wood products manufacturing, and
tourism. Ketchikan Pulp Corporation's pulp mill closed in
March 1997, forcing 400 residents into unemployment. To ease
the affects of the shut-down, the U.S. Forest Service is
allocating timber for the sawmill to continue operations for
three additional years. Several smaller timber companies are
also based in Ketchikan. Local government leaders and
business people are working to develop new wood-products
plants that could create more jobs while cutting fewer
trees. The state operates the Deer Mountain Hatchery which
produces over 450,000 King, Coho, Steelhead and Rainbow
Trout annually. 438 area residents hold commercial fishing
permits. Four canneries, three cold storage facilities and a
fish processing plant support the fishing industry in summer
months. Over 480 cruise ships dock in Ketchikan each summer,
bringing over 300,000 annual visitors. A new Ketchikan
Visitors Assoc. office building was completed in 1998, with
a visitors' center and retail sales space for 20 tourism
operators. Mining may play a role in the future, as U.S.
Borax is studying construction of a molybdenum mine at
Quartz Hill.
Regularly-scheduled jet
services offer three northbound and three southbound
departures daily. The State-owned Ketchikan International
Airport offers a paved, lighted 7,500' runway. The airport
lies on Gravina Island, a 10-minute ferry ride to the
waterfront. Ketchikan is a regional transportation hub, with
numerous air taxi services to surrounding communities. There
are four float plane landing facilities: Tongass Narrows,
Peninsula Point, Ketchikan Harbor, and Murphy's. Ketchikan
is the first port of call in Alaska for cruise ships and
Alaska Marine Highway vessels. Harbor and docking facilities
include a breakwater, a deep draft dock, five small boat
harbors, a dry dock and ship repair yard, boat launch, and a
State ferry terminal. The shipyard is privately-owned, and
is used for repairs to the Alaska Ferry and offshore fish
processors. The Inter-Island Ferry Authority, based on
Craig, is coordinating funding to develop a twice-daily,
year-round ferry service between Ketchikan and Hollis.
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to Alaska Communities
Source: Department of
Community & Economic
Development
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