THE THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION.
With around 8,000 residents, this town is a popular stop on the cruise ship circuit.
Its early history begins with the Tlingit (KLING kit) natives who would fish Ketchikan Creek in the summer. The Haida (HIGH dah) and Tsimshian (SIM she ann) tribes were also in the vicinity.
It was possibly a stop for Spanish, English, and Russian ships. Due to fresh water, fish, and lumber availability, it is a choice stop, but there is no record.
The first outsider who came here was Mike Martin in 1885. Scouting the area for a canning company from Oregon, he found ideal conditions. He builds a salt company and a general store.
As the first settlement in Alaska (Alaska’s 1st City) for boats coming north from British Columbia, it began growing immediately.
By 1900 the city incorporates. It attracts loggers, prospectors, fishing people, missionaries, and others looking to make their fortune.
Forests surround Ketchikan, and soon lumbering becomes a significant employer. Then mining. Its abundant seafood (salmon) soon leads to fishing crews and canning factories shipping various seafood worldwide.
Today, mining is almost non-existent. Canneries, tourism, government, and forestry supply the majority of jobs.
Due to the one million tourists between May and September, the downtown area is nothing more than an outdoor mall.
There are a few things to try and find in the crowds.
Starting at the cruise pier:
Ketchikan Visitors Bureau.
The office sits right on the pier. Here you can find maps of the many hiking trails in the area. They also have information on other attractions.
Liquid Sunshine Gauge.
Besides being the Salmon Capital, Ketchikan is in the running for the rainiest town in Alaska. The city receives between 140 and 160 inches a year. So although it gets more during the fall and winter months, bring a raincoat anytime. The gauge is on the north side of the visitor’s bureau.
The Rock.
Also on the pier, north of the bureau, is this bronze statue of seven figures. At the top is Chief Johnson, representing the Tlingit Indians, Southeast Alaska’s first inhabitants. The other six figures represent others from the city’s past. A fisherman, a logger, a miner, an aviator, a Native woman drumming, and an 1890s lady.
Mission Street Sign.
The “Welcome to Ketchikan” sign is also near the bureau. Mission street meets Front street in front of the bureau. The sign is half a block up Mission from the bureau.
St John’s Church.
Walk up Mission Street, and at 503 Mission, you will find this church with a unique shape. At the time of its construction, it was on the waterfront. The church is still in the same place. The city has been expanding.
Tongass Historical Museum.
Two blocks from St Johns is the town’s historical museum. Take a walk, predominantly through photos, of the town’s history.
Chief Johnson Totem Pole.
A block from the museum is one of the town’s most famous totems. This 55’ pole marks the entrance to historic Creek Street.
Creek Street.
Now on the National Register of Historic Places, it began as the town’s red-light district. Circa 1903, the city banishes any brothels to the area east of the creek. Creek Street, a boardwalk over the river, became the center of the red light district. Prostitution remains legal until 1954, when the city finally outlaws it.
Today the buildings are tourist shops and a small museum in Dollys House, once a brothel by the same name.
On your way back to the waterfront, visit The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, run by the United States Forest Service. This is a great introduction to what lies outside Ketchikan.
Visit Ketchikan, Then Get Out of Town.
Like most Alaska towns, Ketchikan is a gateway to scenic and wildlife wonders.
Tongass National Forest.
The United State’s largest national forest covers most of Southeast Alaska. People cruising along the Inside Passage spend much of their cruise in the Tongas.
And why not? This is the reason you come to Alaska. The scenery of Wild Alaska and the potential wildlife sightings.
Bear Viewing.
Ketchikan offers access to some of the best bear viewing areas in the Tongas. Black and Brown bears are out between May and September. Salmon spawning in July-August really brings them out.
In addition, the Tongas is home to Anan Wildlife Observatory, Traitors Cove/Margaret Creek, Prince of Wales Island, and Neets Bay.
Trips depart by floatplane from Ketchikan during the season.
You can also reach Traitors Cove by boat, although it takes longer. Neets Bay has a boat option that motors past the bay, but you do not go ashore. This choice reduces your chances of sighting bears.They also limit visits using permits. July and August, when the salmon are spawning, are the best periods. However, you cannot guarantee wildlife spotting.
Herring Cove is near Ketchikan, and you can drive there. That’s good and bad news. More civilization means fewer bears. I have seen a (one) bear only two times out of eight visits.
Misty Fjords National Monument.
This dramatic landscape is also part of the Tongass National Forest. Sometime, about 50 to 70 million years ago, glaciers gouged out the granite valleys in this area. They left walls that are near-vertical and may rise 2,000 to 3,000 feet out of the water. In some places, they drop 1,000 feet below the water surface.
Boats and floatplanes depart from Ketchikan to tour this incredible scenery. Weather permitting, some planes land on mountain lakes where it is so quiet, it almost hurts your ears. There is often mist, giving the whole area a fantastic feeling. This is a highlight of Southeast Alaska.
Visit Ketchikan’s Native Peoples.
With over 80 Native American Totem Poles in Ketchikan, it seems you can’t go a few blocks without seeing one! Totem Poles are just one attraction not to miss!
Saxman Native Village.
This village has the most extensive collection of standing Totem Poles in Ketchikan. The 25 totems here are replicas of original poles, many with too much damage to save them. There is also a Clan House, Native Carving Shed, and gift shop.
Totem Bight State Historical Park.
This is a recreation of a native village. In an attempt to save totems and artifacts left behind, they bring them to the site and make duplicates. Today, there is a Clan House and 14 Totems.
The Totem Heritage Center.
This is a museum of original Native American Totem Poles. The poles come from abandoned villages and are in various levels of deterioration. The collection also has artifacts, masks, and tools for making the poles. The building has climate control, preserving the artifacts from weather and pollution.
Take A Hike.
Ketchikan has numerous hiking options. There is an activity level for everyone. From an easy walk through the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary to climbing Mt Deer.
Visit Ketchikan Summary.
There is quite a bit to do in the Ketchikan area.
Alaska Airlines has daily flights to the “airport you have to take a boat to.”
The Alaska Marine Highway has a daily ferry service, and of course, there are cruise ships.
However, if booking a cruise, check the time you have in port. Many cruises cut the Ketchikan visit short to get to Juneau sooner.
You will need all the time you can get to do the Ketchikan area justice.
And if you arrive the first weekend in August during the Blueberry Festival, you will need more than a day.
Visit Ketchikan and get a taste of Alaska,
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“See the World” Continued on Page T3. “Taste the World” Continued on T11.