Spend the Day in Ketchikan

Photo Credit: The Road Now Traveled

Ketchikan is a small city in southeastern Alaska, located on an island in the Tongass Narrows. It's known as the "Salmon Capital of the World" and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Alaska. But how did this little city come to be? Let's take a brief look at the history of Ketchikan.

The first people to settle in the area now known as Ketchikan were the Tlingit, who arrived sometime around 1000 AD. They named the settlement "Kitkatla" which means "the river that flows through the narrows." The Tlingit were a nomadic people, and their villages were often moved as salmon migrated up and down the rivers. In 1885, a group of American prospectors arrived in search of gold and copper. They established a mining camp called "Creek City" and soon found themselves in conflict with the Tlingit.

In 1900, Creek City was renamed "Ketchikan" after a nearby creek, and two years later it was incorporated as a city. By this time, the population had grown to around 500 people. The economy was largely based on mining and fishing, and Ketchikan quickly became known as a rough-and-tumble town full of bars and brothels. This reputation would change in the 1930s when the Civilian Conservation Corps came to town and built many of the infrastructure projects that are still in use today, including roads, bridges, and parks.

Photo Credit: The Road Now Traveled

Today, Ketchikan is a popular tourist destination, and with good reason! Many of the cruise lines stop here as there is so much to see and do in this beautiful town. Visitors can enjoy stunning views of Misty Fjords National Monument, go fishing for salmon or halibut, visit historic Creek Street (once home to many of the town's brothels), or learn about Tlingit culture at one of the many museums or cultural centers.

Ketchikan has come a long way since its early days as a mining camp full of bars and brothels. Today, it's a popular tourist destination known for its scenic beauty and abundant salmon fishing. If you're ever in southeastern Alaska, be sure to add Ketchikan to your list of places to visit!