Ketchikan, Alaska

One of the exciting un-cruise experiences you’ll have with InnerSea Discoveries is port visits. Ketchikan is a fascinating port where wildlife sightings are an everyday experience. Over 100 species of migrating birds including bald eagles, black and brown bears, Sitka black-tailed deer, mountain goats, marten, mink, sea otters, moose, seals, orca, humpback whales and an abundance of salmon can be found in the Ketchikan area.

Much to the delight of fishing enthusiasts, Ketchikan is rightly known as the Salmon Capital of the World. The economy of Ketchikan relies heavily on tourism and fishing. The nearby Tongass National Forest is only accessible in Ketchikan by hiking and scenic Misty Fjords National Monument is one of the major attractions of the area. Outdoor lovers will have so many options for activities in nature that a few extra days in the Ketchikan area may be in order.



History of Ketchikan
Ketchikan comes from the Tlingit name for creek and was named after Ketchikan Creek which flows through the town. In 1883, a man named Snow built a salmon saltery in Ketchikan. In 1885, Mike Martin was hired by businessmen in Portland, Oregon to investigate possibilities for building a salmon cannery on Ketchikan Creek. By the early 1900's, Martin and, George Clark the cannery's manager, had set up a partnership and opened a saltery and a general store. A few years later, with the fishing industry booming, Ketchikan was officially incorporated.

Mining activities began in the area, and Ketchikan also became an important trading community. With miners and fishermen frequenting the town, Creek Street became the red-light district of Ketchikan. Over 30 bordellos lined the street at one point. Mining never really took off, but the fishing industry and new timber operations began to grow with establishment of the Ketchikan Spruce Mills early in the century. In 1954, Ketchikan Pulp Mill was completed but today, the logging industry has nearly disappeared, replaced by tourism.



Exploring Ketchikan
Ketchikan has the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles. You will find these poles, some up to 60 feet high at Saxman Village, Totem Bight, Saxman Totem Park and the Totem Heritage Center. Saxman Village is an authentic native village where you can watch carvers create new poles.

Totem Bight State National Park is on the National Register of Historic Places. There you will see a clan house, a collection of totem poles and a series of interpretive panels about the history and culture of the Tlingit and Haida people.

Totem Heritage Center was established in 1976 to preserve a collection of original 19th century totem poles from villages around Ketchikan. Other sites include Dolly's House Museum & Gift Shop, Tongass Historical Museum, Potlatch Park, a re-creation of a native village, and Southeast Alaska Discovery Center.

Wonderful hikes of varying activity levels are available in the Tongass National Forest, kayaking opportunities abound around Misty Fjords National Park and fishing excursions into the plentiful waters can be arranged.


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