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Ketchikan, Alaska’s fourth largest city, is
known for its spectacular fishing, ancient totem poles, breathtaking natural
monuments, and deeply rooted native culture. A mining, fishing, and logging
town, Ketchikan still vibrates with the free spirit of the Wild West. An
ancient Tlingit fish camp, Ketchikan has long reigned as the sport-fishing
capital of the world, with trophy-size salmon and halibut. The community has
preserved its Native heritage with the world’s largest collection of Northwest
totem poles at Totem Bight State Park, Saxman Native Village and Totem Heritage
Center. Just a short floatplane ride away awaits mystical Misty Fjords National
Monument, a truly magnificent trip.
Throughout Ketchikan's history, various
industries have shared the limelight providing diversity to the first
port-of-call along Alaska's much traveled Inside Passage. When one industry
waned, another one was in the wings and able to take its place. Part of that
pattern was the result of pioneer vision, part was simply fortuitous, and the
rest was plain hard work and lobbying. Originally, Ketchikan's economy was
based on fish processing, followed by mining during the Gold Rush years, then
again by the seafood industry after the collapse of the world metals market.
When the fishing industry began to decline, the forest products industry moved
in to lead the economic parade for half a century. While the city's economy is
largely resource based, another stabilizing factor has been its role as a
transportation hub as well as a service, supply and government center for
Southern Southeast Alaska.
In spite of the permanent closure in March
of 1997 of the Ketchikan Pulp Mill, the city's leading industry for almost 50
years, Ketchikan remains optimistic about the future. Every down has an up, and
the midline is stability. The region's fishing industry has diversified into
other seafood species, a healthy sign for the future. Sawmills still operate in
spite of the closure of the pulp mill. Tourism has boomed, with nearly one
million cruise ship tourists visiting Ketchikan from May through September - not
to mention the ship's crew members.
The name Ketchikan comes from a Tlingit word
meaning the “thundering wings of an eagle”, and some say it resembles the sound
of the eagle’s wings in flight.
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