SKAGWAY BOROUGH & Hoonah - Angoon Census Area

POPULATED PLACES

Angoon Tlingit Indian village listed as "Augoon" with a population of 420 in the 1880 census. The village lost much of its population in the late 1880's when Killisnoo was established with a fish reducing plant. Angoon's population was 114 in 1920; 319 in 1930; 342 in 1939; and 429 in 1950. The Angoon post office was established in 1928. Located on W coast of Admiralty Island, 41 mi. NE of Sitka. Touristy Description: Located 55 miles southwest of Juneau, Angoon is the gateway to Admiralty Island National Monument. The Tlingit community of 430 residents is perched on a strip of land between Chatham Strait on the island's west coast and turbulent Kootznahoo Inlet, which leads into the heart of the 1,493-square-mile island. A stroll through Angoon quickly reveals the resident’s strong indigenous heritage in the painted fronts of the 16 tribal community houses and their traditional lifestyle. A day in the village can be spent observing and gaining an understanding of the Tlingit culture. But more than anything else, Admiralty Island is known for its bears. The island has one of the highest populations of bears in Alaska, with an estimated 1,500 to 1,700 living among the forested mountains, thick rainforest of Sitka spruce and western hemlock, lakes and rivers. Several lodges scattered in and around Angoon offer world-class sport fishing and prime wildlife viewing. More than 90 percent of Admiralty Island is a federally designated wilderness and home to a wide variety of wildlife beyond bears, including one of the highest densities of nesting bald eagles in the world; humpback whales, which are often seen feeding in the bays; Sitka black-tailed deer; and spawning salmon that choke the island’s streams in August. The top bear viewing area in the national monument, and a popular one among photographers, is Pack Creek. The area’s extensive tidal flats attract a large number of bears that feed on spawning salmon. Within this area is the Stan Price State Wildlife Sanctuary, named for an Alaskan woodsman who lived on a float house here for almost 40 years. The sanctuary includes sand spit; an observation tower along the creek reached by a mile-long trail; and an area that has been closed to hunting since the mid-1930s. Most visitors are day-trippers who arrive and depart on floatplanes with guides from Juneau. A permit system regulates the number of daily visitors. Information about permits, guides and nearby U.S. Forest Service cabins is available at the Admiralty Island National Monument office in Juneau (907-586-8800). Angoon also serves as the departure point for many kayak and canoe trips into the heart of the national monument, including the 32-mile Cross Admiralty Canoe Route. Barge See Hood Bay Bartlett Cove Village reported in 1961 by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Charles C. Bartlett, who bought "fishing property and claim on Bartlett Bay" in 1884. A saltery was operated here in the 1880's which was replaced by a cannery in 1889. Located on Bartlett Cove, 5 mi. N of Gustavus 50 mi. NW Juneau, St. Elias Mts Cannery Named for a cannery located here with a general store and radio station which operated during the season (U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1943, p. 343). Located on Chichagof Island, on Tenakee Inlet, 4 mi. E of Tenakee Springs Canyon City (historical) This camp existed during the Klondike Gold Rush days of the late 1890s. Formerly located along the Chilkoot Trail Fanshaw Pop. 5 Named for Cape Fanshaw 3 miles to the southwest. In 1901, the town was a fishing village and the site of a cannery. The Cape Fanshaw post office was established in 1902; it was renamed "Fanshaw" in 1932 (Ricks, 1965, p. 9). Located on W coast of peninsula between Port Houghton and Frederick Sound, at S tip of Whitney Island, 71 mi. E of Sitka. Cube Cove No information available. Located on USGS Sitka D-3 map. Dyea (historical) Site of a former Chilkat Tlingit Indian Village that became noted during the Yukon gold excitement in the late 1800's. The name seems to have been derived from the Indian name "Dyaytahk." It was the port of entry to the Dyea Trail through Chilkoot Pass, one of the most popular routes to the Klondike. After the construction of the White Pass and Yukon RR in 1902 the town began to decline. The Dyea post office was established in 1896 and discontinued in 1902 (Ricks, 1965, p. 17). Description: In Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, on W bank of the Taiya River, 5.6 km (3.5 mi) NNW of Skagway, Coast Mts. Elfin Cove Pop. 20 Village shown on maps since 1930. The Elfin Cove post office was established in 1935 (Ricks, 1965, p. 19). Its 1958 population was 48. Located on E shore of Elfin Cove, N part of Chichagof Island., 2 mi. S of Point Lavinia and 33 mi. NW of Hoonah Touristy Description: Beautiful, quaint and out-of-the-way, Elfin Cove lies half hidden on the northern shore of Chichagof Island, 85 miles west of Juneau. This boardwalked community of only 20 year-round residents is across from Glacier Bay National Park and near the rich fishing grounds in Cross Sound. Surrounded by the Tongass National Forest, Elfin Cove’s boardwalks are built on pilings as are many of the homes. The community becomes active during the summer when local businesses serve the commercial fishing fleet, and guests fill the sportfishing lodges. Visitors are attracted to the area’s stunning scenery, wildlife, world class sportfishing and the adventure of visiting such an isolated community. Fishermen are drawn to year-round fishing for halibut, ling cod, rockfish and salmon. Kayaking the protected waters of Chichagof Island is also popular, along with viewing wildlife, hiking and beachcombing. Glacier Bay National Park is a short boat ride from Elfin Cove. Port Althorp Bear Preserve, the Port Althorp Cannery site and the World War II cannon emplacement on George’s Island are all within 20 minutes by boat as well. Freshwater Bay No information available. Located on USGS Sitka D-4 map. Funter Named, after 1891, for the bay on which it is located. A post office was established there in 1902. Cannery on N shore of Funter Bay, 1 mi. NE of Clear Point and 18 mi. W of Juneau Game Creek No information available. Located on USGS Juneau A-5 map. Gustavus Local name reported in 1940 by U.S. Forest Service (USFS); derived from nearby Point Gustavus. Incorporated April 1, 2004. Located on the north shore of Icy Passage at the mouth of Salmon River, 7 miles northeast of Point Gustavus and 48 miles northwest of Juneau, in the Saint Elias Mountains Hawk Inlet Name published by USGS in the 1943 Coast Pilot (p. 341). Description: cannery, with summer population of 500, on E shore of Hawk Inlet on Admiralty Island, 2 mi. N of mouth of Greens Creek and 17 mi. SW of Juneau Hobart Bay No information available. Located on USGS Sumdum B-5 map. Hood Bay A post office of this name was established here in 1948. In 1950 the name was changed to "Barge," and in 1952 the Hood Bay Post Office was reestablished. The post office was finally discontinued in 1957 (Ricks, 1965, p. 27). The population was 50 in 1929, but in 1966 it was reported to have been abandoned. Description: on N shore of Hood Bay, on W coast of Admiralty Island, 10 mi. SE of Angoon. Hoonah Pop. 686 This is the principal Huna village. The Huna (Hoonah), a Tlingti tribe in the Cross Sound area, camp in the summer from here northward to Lituya Bay. This village was called "Gaudekan" (Kantukan), meaning "bell town," its population was 800 in 1880, 447 in 1900, 462 in 1910, 402 in 1920, 514 in 1930, 716 in 1939, and 563 in 1950. The Hoonah post office was established in 1901 and thus was responsible for giving the village its present name. Located on E shore of Port Frederick, 2.5 mi. S of Point Sophia, on Icy Strait, 40 mi. SW of Juneau Touristy Description: Nestled against the base of White Alice Mountain, Hoonah is the largest Tlingit village in Alaska. The Huna, a Tlingit tribe, have lived in the Icy Strait area for thousands of years. Today Hoonah is home to approximately 850 residents, many who work at Icy Strait Point, a private cruise ship destination located about a mile away. Since the wilderness port opened in 2004, Hoonah has attracted more visitors, particularly those who arrive by cruise ships. The port is centered on a restored salmon cannery, which now houses a museum, local arts and crafts shops, restaurants and a mid-1930's cannery line display. Outside is the world’s largest and highest zip line at 5,330 feet long, featuring a 1,300-foot vertical drop. Icy Strait Point offers a range of excursions for visitors, from Native dance performances to bear viewing and whale watching. Hoonah’s access to the outstanding fishing along Icy Strait also attracts sport fishing and wildlife enthusiasts. Whale watching is considered excellent near Hoonah and humpback and killer whales are often spotted along the shores right in front of town. Sea kayakers are also drawn here, as they arrive for a 40-mile wilderness paddle that follows the shorelines of Port Frederick and Tenakee Inlet from Hoonah to Tenakee Springs. The two inlets are connected by a short portage and the trip ends for many in the Tenakee Springs’ natural hot springs soaking away those sore muscles. For more information on sea kayaking and hiking in the area, contact the U.S. Forest Service Hoonah District Office (907-945-3631). Killisnoo (Historical) Former village established about 1881 when members of the Hutsnuwu tribe of Tlingit Indians were brought from the villages of Angoon and Nahltushkan to work in a fish rendering plant. The village was named for the island. Pop. 1890; 351 in 1910; 256 in 1920; and 3 in 1930. post office was established in 1882; discontinued in 1930 (Ricks, 1965, p. 33). Located on E coast of Killisnoo Island., 2 mi. S of Angoon Klukwan Originally a Tlingit Indian village the name of which, as reported by the U.S. Navy in 1880, was "Chilcat of Klukquan," which is said to mean "the old town." W. H. Dale (U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1883 p. 198), U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (USC&GS), reported the inhabitants called the village "Klu-kwan." At that time it consisted of 65 houses and 560 inhabitants. Aurel and Arthur Krause (1883, map) reported the name as "Kloquan." It was listed in the 11th Census in 1890 as "Klakwan," and it had 30 houses and 326 inhabitants, of which only three were non-Indian. The spelling "Klukwan" was adopted by the Canadian Board on Geographic Names. Located on the north shore of Chilkat River, 2.6 km (1.4 mi) southeast of Glass Point and 34 km (21 mi) southwest of Skagway, Coast Mountains Neltushkin Tlingit Indian village reported as "Neltuschk-an," meaning "town on outside of point," in 1885 by Aurel Krause. It was called "Scutskon" by Ivan Petroff in the 10th Census in 1880. In 1880 the population was 246, "but subsequently they moved to Killisnoo" (Hodge, 1910, p. 11). The Bureau of American Ethnology (BAE) recorded the name as "Naltuck-an." Located on N shore of Whitewater Bay, on W coast of Admiralty Island. Pelican Named for a fishing boat called "The Pelican" owned by Charles Raatikained, a founder of the town. The corporate name of the town in "Pelican," although it is frequently called "Pelican city." In 1943 there was a cannery, a small sawmill, a school, and a hotel here. A post office was established in 1939 (Ricks, 1965, p. 50). Located on the NE shore of Lisianski Inlet in NW part of Chichgof Island Touristy Description: Pelican is known for its boardwalk, which connects most of the residences and businesses in this remote fishing village on the northwest coast of Chichagof Island, 80 miles north of Sitka and 70 miles west of Juneau. Pelican was established on Lisianski Inlet in 1938 by a fish packer who bought and transported fish to Sitka. Fishing is still Pelican's main industry as it boasts the closest harbor to the rich Fairweather salmon grounds. Pelican’s population is listed as 113 but during the summer the population grows with the arrival of commercial fishers and the return of seasonal workers. One of the most well known local events is the Pelican Boardwalk Boogie, a music festival held each May that draws many revelers from across the region, including exhausted legislative staffers from nearby Juneau, who are looking to cut loose after the end of the intense legislative session. During the summer months you can catch the twice-a-month Alaska Marine Highway ferry to Pelican and turn the sailing into an interesting daytrip from Juneau. The cruise through Icy Strait is scenic, with a very good possibility of seeing humpback whales, and two hours in port offer plenty of time to walk the length of town. Salmon Way consists of a mile-long boardwalk built on pilings over tidelands and is a photographer's delight. There are only two miles of rough gravel roads beyond that. Beyond the boardwalk, Pelican is surrounded by lush forests and watery fjords, making it a beautiful gateway to such uniquely Alaskan experiences as charter salmon and halibut fishing, sea kayaking or an overnight outing to nearby natural hot springs located on the outside coast of the West-Chichagof Yakobi Island Wilderness Area. There are several fishing lodges located in Pelican and in the settlements of Phonograph Cove and Sunnyside. Skagway Pop. 659 Name derived from Skagway River. The town, called "The Gateway to the Golden Interior," was founded in 1897 by Captain William Moore, who had a cabin here, when gold was first discovered in 1896 near Dawson, on the Yukon River. The town served as a base of operations for thousands of prospectors during the Klondike gold rush of 1897-98, and became the largest town in Alaska at that time. Both Canada and the United States claimed possession, but Canada yielded to the United States until the boundary dispute was settled. Skagway post office was established in 1897, and the population grew to 3,117 in 1900. The town is the terminus of the White Pass and Yukon RR which was built to Whitehorse in Yukon, Canada during the gold rush period. A military post at Skagway was called "Skaguay" by the U.S. Army. Located at mouth of Skagway River, near head of Taiya Inlet, 90 mi. NW of Juneau Touristy Description: A colorful history, scant rain and a lot of cruise ships makes a Skagway one of the most interesting towns to visit in the Inside Passage. Skagway rarely disappoints visitors. A seven-block corridor along Broadway features historic false-front shops and restaurants, wooden sidewalks, locals in period costumes and restored buildings, many of which are part of the National Park Service-managed Klondike National Historical Park. Beginning in 1897, Skagway and the nearby ghost town of Dyea was the starting place for more than 40,000 gold-rush stampeders who headed to the Yukon primarily by way of the Chilkoot Trail. Five times a day during the summer, rangers lead a free 45-minute walking tour of the historic district, stopping at such historic buildings as Mascot Saloon Museum, the first cabin built in Skagway and one of the town’s earliest brothels. For the adventurous, Skagway has an excellent trail system that begins just blocks from the downtown area and allows hikers to trek to alpine lakes, waterfalls, even the graves of Skagway’s most notorious residents, Soapy Smith and Frank Reid. The town also serves as the departure point for one of Alaska’s most popular backpacking adventures: the Chilkoot Trail, a three to four-day hike along the same route that the stampeders followed on their way to the Klondike Gold Fields in Canada to the north. For more information on the Chilkoot Trail and hiking in Skagway contact the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Visitor Center (907-983-9223). The historic White Pass & Yukon Route railroad provides tours to the top of the mountain pass and back to Skagway. Seated in parlor cars, passengers ride up the most spectacular part of the trip viewing scenery such as Glacier Gorge, Dead Horse Gulch and Bridal Veil Falls. At the top they see the White Pass at 2,885 feet, which is also the international boundary between the United States and Canada. Today Skagway survives almost entirely on tourism, as bus tours and more than 400 cruise ships a year turn this village into a boomtown again every summer. Up to five ships a day stop here and, on the busiest days, over 8,000 visitors — 10 times the town's resident population — march off the ships and turn Broadway Avenue into a modern-day version of the Klondike Gold Rush. Sunnyside Name of a former mining camp reported in 1903 by A. C. Spencer and C. W. Wright, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Description: on Chichagof Island., 1.7 mi. NW of Pelican and 24 mi. N of Chichagof Tenakee Springs Local name derived from "Tenakee," the former name of a cannery located 4 miles to the east. Tenakee Springs is a health resort because of the warm springs located here. It has a wharf, store, cafe, crab cannery, (U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (USC&GS), 1962, p. 145) and a post office, established here in 1903, called "Tenakee," but the name was changed to Tenakee Springs in April 1928. It was called "Hoonah Hot Springs" by Lieutenant Commander H. E. Nichols, U.S. Navy (USN), in 1891 Coast Pilot (p. 163). Located on the N side of Tenakee Inlet, in the central eastern part of Chichagof Island, 50 mi NNE of Sitka. Touristy Description: Located on Chichagof Island, Tenakee Springs is a small town with Tlingit roots that is well known for its hot mineral springs. Served by the Alaska Marine Highway System, the community is home to about 80 people, but expands in the summer with seasonal residents. Hot springs lovers have been coming to town since before 1895, when a public bathhouse was built around the source of a 107-degree mineral spring. Although the original bathhouse has since been replaced, bathing times still are posted for men and women separately. Several other historic buildings remain in town, lining the shore and the town’s one unpaved road, used for pedestrians, bikes and ATVs only. They include the still-operating Snyder’s Mercantile, founded in 1899, the Shamrock Building, and the newly restored Saint Francis Chapel. Leisure activities focus on the water. Fishing, kayaking, whale watching and sailing are all popular. Kayaking rentals are available in town. Beyond town, there are multiple hiking trails that connect with abandoned logging roads, essentially allowing visitors to hike from one end of the island to the other. There is one lodge in town, the Tenakee Hot Springs Lodge, which can arrange meals and activities for guests. Tenakee Springs is surrounded by US Forest Service property which does allow camping, however there are no public campgrounds. Tyee This is the former location of a cannery and fishing station. A post office by this name was established in 1907 and discontinued in 1953 (Ricks, 1965). In 1962 the facilities were in ruins. Located on Murder Cove, on S tip of Admiralty Island Whitestone Logging Camp No information available. Located on USGS Juneau A-5 map.

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