Table of Contents:
Juneau is one of the largest state capitals in the United States, covering 3,255 square miles. With a year-round population of just over 32,000 people, that gives you room to roam. The urban area only covers approximately 14 square miles. So why do they need so much land? No one else wants it.
Much of the uninhabited land is uninhabitable. Mountains surround Juneau, and many of those are under snow or ice year-round.
Another unique aspect of Juneau is you can’t drive to or from the city. It has mountains on three sides and water on the fourth.
So how do you get to Juneau? By plane, boat, or in the wintertime, dogsled.
Why would anyone put a city out in the middle of nowhere? That’s easy. Gold!
History
Since ?, the area of today’s Juneau was a fishing area for the Auke and Taku tribes of First Native people of Alaska.
During Alaska’s time as Russian American (1733 to 1867,) it may have been a fur trader temporary camp. George Vancouver went sailing by circa 1793, but just long enough to map the area. But most of the time, it was nowhere.
The United States purchases the Alaskan Territory from Russia. The year is 1867.
Washington will take 45 more years to declare Alaska an organized incorporated territory.
So at this time, the only Americans with interest in Alaska are some trappers and traders.
It is not until 1879 when others begin taking notice.
The Stream That Sparkles.
Summer of 1880 and Tlingit Chief Kowee leads prospectors Joe Juneau and Richard Harris to a stream. They find gold nuggets lying in the stream bed. They mark off a 160-acre townsite they call Harrisburg because Richard was doing the writing.
The U.S. Navy sends a detachment under the command of Lt. Com. Charles Rockwell to keep order. By 1881, the settlers feel Harrisburg is too familiar a name; Pennsylvania already has one. Soon the town’s name is Rockwell. The word town is a generous term as it was nothing more than tents and a few shacks. Within a year, over 100 prospectors were panning and living in Rockwell.
By the end of 1881, Joe Juneau has been complaining long enough that he should have some recognition. So, finally, the town changes its name for the third time in 18 months to Juneau.
The Russians are Coming to Juneau
The town continues to grow, and the local Tlingit Indians don’t like the wild west atmosphere. Or that it is attracting the young men of the tribe.
They call on the Russian Orthodox Church to intervene. The church has been a peace-keeper between the locals and the Russians since the early 1800s.
They do the same in Juneau, giving the local Tlingits and a few new people faith and structure.
But not all of the new people. The town is still growing at a healthy rate. Numerous mining supply stores, a blacksmith, an apothecary, and a bakery run by China Joe open shop. Many bars are offering all the services saloons of the wild west “offer.”
The Juneau gold rush only lasts a few years. Then in 1886, news comes about the big strike on Forty Mile River. A majority of the prospectors, supply stores, and bar owners move on. But the blacksmith, the baker, and the candlestick makers remain, and Juneau soon grows into the largest community in Alaska.
In 1900, Juneau wrote up letters of incorporation.
A New Capital, A New Territory.
By 1906, Sitka, the first capital of Alaska, loses its importance to Juneau. As a result, Alaska moves the district government to Juneau.
In 1912 Alaska became a U.S. territory.
By 1920 Juneau is the largest town in Alaska, with a steady population of over 3,000.
The primary industry is still gold. However, as the individual prospectors were leaving, significant mining concerns came in. The Treadwell, Alaska-Gastineau, and the Alaska-Juneau Mine (The A.J.) were the big three.
The Treadwell Mine
This mine was actually across the channel from Juneau on Douglas Island. John Treadwell was one of many fortune hunters who arrived in 1881 seeking riches. He bought his first claim in Douglas, where he found gold. As his bank account grew, so did his land holdings.
He soon gets funding from benefactors, and by the end of 1882, he is running the Alaska Mill & Mining Company with a five-stamp mill. A stamp crushes the ore instead of grinding it, freeing larger chunks of gold.
By 1886, the Treadwell has a 300-stamp mill. In 1889, Treadwell sold his stake in the mine, and three others, for 1.5 million dollars. A substantial amount in those days. The Treadwell Complex will attain a world record of 960 stamps crushing 5,000 tons of rock per day.
The Alaska-Gastineau Mine
The Alaska-Gastineau grew to be the largest gold mine in the world, but not for very long. Then, finally, it began massive scale development around 1912. By smelting all the concentrate, they could avoid costly and dangerous chemicals and process the ore more economically.
Unfortunately, timing is everything. With America’s entrance into WWI in 1917, all the mines lost a majority of their workforce. So by 1921, the mine shuts down.
The Alaska-Juneau Mine
The A.J. had not one but two trust companies in W. Virginia funding it. It had probably the best real estate. It began buying up the smaller mines, which were closing due to WWI in 1917. Their shafts ran through the Juneau gold belt to the Gastineau Channel, starting in the Silver Bow Basin. It had two stamp mills run by hydropower from its electric plant. Due to its strong backing and its very manageable size, it would weather WWI. When the workforce went off to WWII in 1944, the A.J. shut down. It sold its electric plant to the local utility company.
Estimates say that more than 220 tons of gold came out of the Juneau area. In today’s economy, that would be more than 11 billion dollars in value.
Modern Juneau
Today, the population is around 32,000 residents. When you arrive by cruise ship, that seems impossible. Much of the port area sits between Mount Roberts and the harbor along Franklin Street. In some places, it is only one block wide.
What is even more impossible to understand is how 1.3 million cruise passengers cram into such a narrow space between May and September every year.
If you fly in, the airport is in the valley north of town, and you get a better glimpse of the city’s residential areas.
So all 32,000 people are in tourism.
You would think, but nearly half of Juneau’s working population are employees of the federal, state, or local government. It is still the state capital.
These white-collar workers are in several buildings in town. But the most significant number of government workers are with the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, National Marine Fisheries Service. Others are with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Postal Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Tourism is next. Although most tours, trinkets, and other touristy businesses make most of their income during the five-month cruise season, travel to Juneau is now a year-round activity.
Commercial fishing and the processing it requires comes next. The town is home to a large fleet of boats, salmon hatcheries, and a cold storage facility. They process more than two million pounds of salmon, halibut, crab, black cod, and other seafood annually.
Juneau is for the Birds
Remember the other 3,200 square miles of Juneau not in use by humans? It is home to more than 280 species of birds. Some, including bald eagles, are year-round.
There are brown (grizzly) and black bears, deer, goats, and other small animals like beavers on land.
The waters are teaming. There are five species of salmon. And then there are the aquatic creatures that feed on them. Humpback whales and the occasional orca come every summer for feeding. There are Dall’s and harbor porpoises, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, and sea otters.
The only thing that outnumbers tourists is wildlife.
Juneau Today
There have been several attempts to move the capital to Anchorage.
I have been visiting Alaska since the 1980s. It has changed quite a bit and not at all.
The towns have changed. I remember when Juneau got its first red light (traffic variety) and first fast food outlet.
In those days, a busy day was two passenger ships in port, neither carrying more than 1000 passengers. In the summer of 2020, there will be days with up to six ships in port, none of them carrying less than 2,000 passengers each.
I was lucky enough to visit sans cruise ships. People go to work, and kids go to school. There are grocery stores and banks. I spent many Friday nights with my friend Karen watching her sons play football. Other nights were sipping wine with Ann, the proprietress of a small inn that used to be a whorehouse.
What is in Juneau for me?
See & Hear.
The reason you come to Alaska is to see the beauty of the state. Also, there is the possibility of seeing wildlife in its natural habitat.
It is not unheard of to see a whale, bear, and eagle outside of town within 10 minutes of each other. You can hear glaciers calve, whales breach, or eagles calling on the wind.
Another option is to sit on a bench, listening to life happening all around you.
Taste & Smell.
Alder wood and fresh Alaska salmon create a treat for the nose and the taste buds. It’s hard to eat salmon anywhere else after you try it in Alaska.
Feel.
Sip a glass of wine from the top of a mountain, watching the shadows stretch across the valley.
Go for a morning walk by a lake and see wildlife or a glacier, or both.
Sip a local beer and think back over your day of wildlife sightings and mother nature in all her glory.
There may be better ways to end your day, but this one doesn’t suck.
Should-see in Juneau.
The town itself is not the reason you are coming to Alaska. None of the cities or towns are. Instead, each of them is a gateway to something spectacular.
You don’t plan to spend your entire visit in town. But there are a few things to see there.
The lower station is right next to one of the cruise piers. This seasonal tram whisks 60 passengers at a time 1800 feet up Mount Roberts. The ride takes approximately six minutes. At the top is a restaurant, gift shop, and great views of Juneau below. But beyond are hiking trails through the top of the rainforest and higher into the sub-arctic terrain.
Alaska Juneau Mine (The A.J.)
Little to nothing of the mine buildings remain. Circa 1991, vandals set fire to the remains. If there is anything still standing, it is hiding behind the trees. But I remember seeing the ruins on the hillside. Many of the passengers would ask me what it was, opening a great discussion on Juneau’s gold history. I miss those ruins. For those very interested in mining, some companies offer tours into parts of the old mine.
That Dog Statue
From 1929 until 1942, there was a bull terrier by the name of Patsy Ann. She would greet every steamer pulling into port. What makes her a little special from other wharf dogs is that she didn’t live at the pier. And she was completely deaf.
Somehow she “knew” when ships were coming. In 1934, the mayor named her “The Official Greeter of Juneau, Alaska.” Fifty years after her death, they dedicate the statue. You can find her along the waterfront between central downtown and the parking garage at the Alaska Steam Dock.
I always thought this was an impressive museum to learn about real Alaska. After it underwent a 139 million dollar expansion, others began to agree with me. The museum initially dates from 1900, the same year Juneau incorporates. However, they will not have a building for 20 years. Over the next 120+ years, they acquire a collection of more than 35,000 objects.
Is it a museum? Is it an artist workshop? It’s a little of both. Living artists from the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes create current art pieces and installations, pulling from their pieces’ traditions. There are permanent as well as temporary exhibits. The space is right downtown.
The capitol building looks like any other building from a distance. However, it’s not until you are in front of it that you can see the marble facade on the front. Guests can do self-guided tours or, in the summer, sign up for guided ones. The building dates from 1931.
Adjacent to the Capitol is a small yellow building that looks like a school or library. It was once the public library. Today it houses a unique museum that focuses on the area around Juneau and Douglas. Where the state museum covers the whole state, this museum covers the city and local area. They also have several visiting exhibits. The museum is open every day in the summer.
Alaska Governor’s House
Also on the National Register of Historic Places is the 1912 Governor’s Mansion. Measuring almost 13,000 square feet, the pillared house on the hill is not open to the public.
St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church
Further up the hill from the Capitol is this Russian Orthodox church dating from 1893. They still hold services on Saturdays and Sundays.
Wickersham State Historic Site
Even further up the hill is this home museum of the late James Wickersham. He was an attorney, federal judge, and member of Congress in the early days of Juneau. The house dates from 1899, providing an excellent look into Juneau’s life almost 100 years ago. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places and is in the Chicken Ridge neighborhood. The area has several of Juneau’s older structures.
Downtown has several buildings on the National Register since the 70s and 80s.
The Alaskan Hotel (1978)
This building holds a place in my heart. It was an old stomping ground of mine in the late 1980s. Few people off the ship, including crew, would enter the small lobby. To find the bar behind it was almost impossible. A major renovation in the early 1980s was a saving grace. A few years ago, a “reality” (really?) show went in to “fix” it. I haven’t been brave enough to return.
Alaska Steam Laundry (1978)
Just across the street from the Alaskan is a building with a turret. The wood-frame structure has been standing since 1901, initially as a place to drop off laundry. The laundry was on the main floor and in operation until 1929. Unfortunately, nothing of the laundry remains.
The Valentine Building (1985)
On the corner of Front Street and Seward is this block of buildings dating from 1904-1912. This example of Alaskan frontier architecture was one of Juneau’s premier addresses.
Juneau Downtown Historic District
Stand under the clock at the corner of S Franklin and Front Street. Every building you can see is in the Juneau Downtown Historic District. This whole area joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Just Outside Downtown
Gold Creek
This creek is the one that began everything. From the waterfront up to Cope Park, Gold Greek is a storm drain. But, as soon as you get to the park, it becomes a magical place.
Gold Creek starts on the side of Gastineau Mountain, where snow and rain runoff. The water channels down through Silver Bow Basin (valley). Basin Road is approximately two miles of something resembling a road. It runs from Cope Park to the Perseverance Trail parking area. Some say it was the first road in Alaska.
The museum is in the former compressor building of the Alaska-Juneau Gold Mine. It was in use between 1912 until 1944. The museum is on the National Register of Historic Places and Alaska Gold Rush Properties. To bring authenticity to the setting, guests must cross Gold Creek and hike up a path over uneven terrain. But, it is worth the climb.
Inside you will find a mining air compressor, one of the world’s largest. In addition, there are industrial mining tools and artifacts that will present a better explanation of hard rock gold mining. There is even one of the electric locomotives and rail cars used for hauling men and ore. The museum is open daily from mid-May to mid-September. The trail to the museum departs from the Perseverance Trail parking area.
The Perseverance Trail
This path is a popular trail, just under six miles you hike out and back. It follows Gold Creek most of the way and has information and maps along the way. Numerous trails splinter off. During the snow runoff and rainy period, there are two waterfalls near the path. Regardless of rain, there are always insects.
The information booths along the cruise docks all have maps of the Juneau trails. I highly recommend a stop before setting off.
Douglas Island
Just across the bridge from downtown Juneau is Douglas Island. At the south end of the island was the Treadwell mine, the largest in the world for a while.
Treadwell Mine Historic Trail Walking
Treadwell was more than a mine; it was a whole town. It had a butcher, blacksmith, bakery, and a mess hall that could feed 300 men at a time. Unfortunately, there are minimal remains as most everything was wood. However, the Treadwell Historic Preservation and Restoration Society are doing a great job of preserving the remains. There are trails throughout the area and interpretive signs with photos in several places. If you have the time, it makes a great walk in the woods.
Rainforest Trail and Outerpoint Loop Trail
On the west side of Douglas Island are two popular short trails. However, you need transportation to reach them as they are approximately 11 miles from the bridge from Juneau.
You come to Rainforest Trail first, and it has a parking area. The popular 0.8-mile trail offers the chance to see wildlife and is easy to moderate.
The Outerpoint Loop is 4/10th of a mile further down the road. It only has a pull-off area along the side of the pavement. A popular trail, this 1.1-mile loop features a waterfall and is suitable for all walking levels. There is a small section at the beginning that is wheelchair accessible.
Predominantly a place for winter activities such as downhill and nordic skiing, there are plans to bring in summer activities such as mountain biking and possibly a downhill coaster.
Outside Juneau
Mendenhall Valley
DIPAC Macaulay Salmon Hatchery
Five minutes beyond the bridge, as you drive into the valley, this state-of-the-art hatchery will be on your left. On average, this hatchery raises and releases close to 100 million baby fish a year. Guests are welcome to learn more about Alaska’s sustainable Salmon program. Admission gives you access to the aquariums, educational exhibits, and rearing facilities. You can also sign up for more in-depth tours.
Salmon Eating
There are many opportunities to eat salmon in Juneau. Some are giant food factories. Others are smaller operations where sometimes the fish hardly saw a refrigerator between the boat and plate. Is one better than the other? I have yet to meet a salmon meal in Alaska I did not like. Try salmon in Alaska, even if you do not like salmon. The halibut is tasty too.
The most famous glacier in Juneau is the Mendenhall. Is it the longest, widest, or tallest? No, it is the only glacier tour buses can reach. But can they?
Scheduled tours dump people at the visitors center with 30 minutes to see it all. The glacier is on the other side of Mendenhall Lake from the visitor center. There is no trail to the glacier from the visitor’s center. To reach the glacier, you need to leave from the Mendenhall Camp Ground. That is a 10-minutes drive further around the lake.
So why go to the visitor center? First, there is the staff who can answer questions. They have displays about the area, and they have restrooms. You can access trails to Nugget Falls from the center, which will get you closer to the glacier. There are other hiking trails of various skill levels.
A shuttle bus runs from town and costs 30 dollars round trip.
There is a $5 admission fee per person at the visitor center area. An Uber will run around $30 each way, a taxi around $35.
Steep Creek is near the parking area. In late July and August, it is fun watching the salmon making their way upstream.
On the Glacier
Several tour companies are offering a wide range of activities on and in Mendenhall Glacier.
There are hikes, for the healthy, up on the glacier. Once there, there are opportunities to do Ice climbing or explore ice caves.
Helicopters drop people on the glacier for several activities. People can walk, take a quick dogsled ride, or even help care for the dogs for part of a day.
Chapel by the Lake
This Presbyterian Church on the grounds of the University of Alaska Southeast dates from 1958. The sanctuary faces Mendenhall glacier and looks over Auke Lake. There are many great bike paths in this area.
Auke Bay
The bay is famous for the Humpback Whales swimming here each summer from Hawaii and Mexico to feed. Due to the bay’s eclosure, the whales are almost always visible during their time there. Numerous boats go out of the marina holding four or many more on whale spotting tours.
Juneau Ferry Terminal
Five minutes from the small boat harbor is the ferry terminal where you can catch the Alaska Marine Highway Ferries. The ferry system reaches from Bellingham, Washington, to Dutch Harbor at the Aleutian Islands’ western end. Some routes are seasonal, and winter routes have fewer departures.
Shrine of St Therese
Another twelve-minute drive beyond the ferry pier is this lovely shrine to Alaska’s patron saint and the Diocese of Juneau. The stone chapel dates from 1938—the setting, timeless.
From here, it is approximately 17 miles to the end of the road. There’s not a lot to see due to trees. If you want to say you have been to the end of the road and back, here’s your chance.
Further Afield
To reach anywhere else from Juneau requires a boat, plane, or helicopter
Juneau Ice Fields
The Juneau Icefield extends for 1,500 sq miles to the north and east of Juneau. The icefield is home to more than 40 massive valley glaciers. The Mendenhall is one of these. There are an additional 100 smaller ones.
Taku Glacier
The Taku is the ice field’s largest glacier. It is the thickest and deepest alpine-temperate glacier in the world. It is over 26 miles long and more than three miles wide at the terminus.
Floatplanes depart from the waterfront to take guests over the Taku and to lodges overlooking the Taku. Helicopters depart from near the Mendenhall Valley airport to land on the Mendenhall or other glaciers nearby. After landing, guests can walk on or take dogsled rides across the ice.
Everyone should get above Alaska at least once to begin to fathom its scope.
Admiralty Island
The island is due south of Juneau and has one settlement with around 650 residents. Most of the Island, almost a million acres, is within the Admiralty Island National Monument. That makes it a federally protected wilderness area within the Tongass National Forest.
These forests provide some of the best habitats available. They are home to brown bears, bald eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer, and more.
The Tlingit Indians gave it the name “Xootsnoowu,” meaning “Fortress of the Bears.” The island is home to the highest density of brown (Grizzly) bears anywhere in North America. There are an estimated 1,600 brown bears on the island, outnumbering humans almost 3 to 1.
The island has canoeing and kayaking, but the primary draw is the bears. Several companies in Juneau offer tours here to the Grizzlies.
Tracey Arm Fjord
South of Juneau, this fjord has tidewater and elevated glaciers. Mountains create sheer rock walls on either side, with waterfalls tumbling down in several places. There is also the potential for wild and marine life spotting.
Some cruise ships that cannot get into Glacier Bay come here as an alternative.
Boat trips depart from Juneau and take a full day.
Juneau Alaska Summary
Juneau makes a great place to base yourself if you are not on a cruise.
Besides the sights in Juneau, you can make day trips to Haines and Skagway as well. People often ask me if I could only choose two places to go to in Alaska, where would they be. Juneau and Anchorage is my answer.