Ketchikan is the first city on the Inside Passage of south-east
Alaska, situated on the island of Revillagigedo. The buildings of
the town are set into steep hills, partly propped on wooden
pilings, with boardwalks, wooden staircases and totem poles dotted
throughout. By 1886, white settlers had opened the first of dozens
of canneries in what was soon to be the 'salmon capital of the
world'. Forests of cedar, hemlock and spruce, which had provided
timber for Tlingit homes and totems, also fed the town's sawmills.
The timber and fishing industries have declined, and with the
closure of the antiquated pulp mill in 1997, the town is now known
more as a beautiful tourist attraction, giving a wonderful insight
into Tlingit culture.
Native culture and art flourishes throughout Alaska, and perhaps
no more so than in Ketchikan. Totem poles, dances, and tribal
houses are all accessible from the town, most only a short walk or
drive away. In town, the Totem Heritage Centre is not to be missed,
with its large display of poles that were found in abandoned
villages. North of town is Totem Bight State Park, which boasts
another collection of famous poles along with a native community
house.
