Page 335 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

Craig
Location: On a small island off the west coast of
Prince of Wales Island and connected by a short
causeway; 7 miles south of Klawock by road, 56
miles northwest of Ketchikan by water, 750 air
miles north of Seattle, 220 miles south of Juneau
and 750 air miles southwest of Anchorage.
Population: 1400. Visitor Information: Craig
City Hall at (907) 826-3275.
Situated on the main paved highway 30 miles west
of the ferry terminal at Hollis, Craig was incorporated
in 1922 and is the largest city on Prince of Wales
Island.
The area around Craig has historically been utilized
by the Tlingit and Haida Native peoples for its rich
sea resources. Although today a predominantly non-
Native fishing community, the influences of the
Tlingit-Haida culture remain alive.
The rich fishing in these waters brought about
the construction of a fish saltery on nearby Fish Egg Inter-Island Ferry
Island in 1907, followed by a packing plant and a cold photo by:
VC TRAVEL GUIDE
storage plant between 1908 and 1912 at the present
site of Craig. This was followed by construction of
a post office, school, sawmill and a salmon cannery timber industry has played an increasingly important Thorne Bay
in 1912. Exceptional pink salmon runs contributed economic role in recent years. The sawmill and local Location: East coast of Prince of Wales Island,
to the community’s growth and development through logging operations are currently the city’s largest 36 miles east of Klawock junction, 59 miles
the 1930s, until the collapse of the fishing industry in employers. from Hollis, and 38 air miles from Ketchikan.
the 1950s due to depleted salmon runs. In 1972 a large The town has a state operated seaplane base, as Population: 480. Visitor Information: Thorne
sawmill was built nearby which provided residents well as the island’s only airstrip, with a 5,000 foot Bay City Hall at (907) 828-3380.
year round employment and helped to stabilize the runway. It also has a small boat harbor and boat ramp
economy, which today is still based on the fishing and deep draft dock for timber loading operations.
industry as well as logging and sawmill operations. Klawock’s full services to the traveler include an RV Coffman Cove
Growth has also been aided by the increased role of Park. Location: Northeast coast of Prince of Wales
Craig as a service and transportation center for the Key attractions to be found in Klawock are Island. Access is by road, boat and float plane.
Prince of Wales Island communities. Deer, salmon, Totem Park, where local carvers have masterfully Population: 200. Visitor Information: Coffman
halibut, shrimp and crab are harvested for commercial, reproduced original totem poles from Tuxekan, the Cove City Hall at (907) 329-2233.
recreational and subsistence purposes. Native Long House, Prince of Wales Fish Hatchery
Scheduled wheel-based air transportation is (open for tours), City Park and the pilings of the first This peaceful community hosts the annual ‘By the
available to Ketchikan and Sitka from nearby Klawock salmon cannery in Alaska. Sea’ Arts & Seafood Festival held the second week
airport. A state-owned seaplane base provides island- Klawock is also home to Fireweed Lodge for of August. Recreational fishing along the shore and
wide floatplane access to Ketchikan. The city is a full- luxury charter fishing get-aways. in nearby streams is very good. An accommodating
service community, offering all relevant services and boardwalk leads to Hatchery Creek Falls, with
facilities to the traveler. SPECIAL EVENTS breathtaking views. The town has a state-owned
Key attractions in Craig are the Aquatic Center, Elizabeth Peratrovich Celebration: February seaplane base, boat harbor and launch ramp.
Parks and Rec opportunities, trail systems, charter
and guided fishing, wildlife viewing, beaches and Inter-Island Ferry Route
picnic areas, Sunnahae Arts Council, the Healing Naukati
Heart totem pole, and Native and local artists. Links Ketchikan and POW Island Location: Northwest coast of Prince of Wales
The Inter-Island Ferry Authority’s M/V Prince Island. Access is by Forest Service Road
SPECIAL EVENTS of Wales provides daily year-round service between 2060, boat or float plane. Population: 165.
International Marathon: Memorial Weekend Ketchikan and the village of Hollis, on Prince of Visitor Information: Naukati Bay Homeowners
July 4 commences three days of celebrations Wales Island. Hollis connects by road to all the other Association, NKI Box 1, Naukati, AK 99950;
Whalefest & Fish Egg Festival: late March major towns on the Island. Phone: (907) 629-4234 or the Naukati
King Salmon Derby: mid-May to mid-Aug Connection Store at (907) 629-4104.
Klawock Hollis Port Protection/Point Baker
Location: East side of Prince of Wales Island, 22
Location: West coast of Prince of Wales Island, miles southeast of Craig by road and 35 miles
7 miles northeast of Craig, 24 miles northwest west of Ketchikan by water. Population: 110. Location: Northwestern tip of Prince of Wales
of Hollis, 56 air miles west of Ketchikan. Visitor Information: Hollis Public Library at Island, 145 air miles south of Juneau and 98
Population: 765. Visitor Information: Prince (907) 530-7112. air miles northwest of Ketchikan. Access only
of Wales Chamber, Box 490, Klawock by boat or float plane. Population: 63 and 35.
99925; Phone: (907) 755-2626, Email: info@ Hydaburg Visitor Information: Port Protection Community
princeofwalescoc.org. Association at (907) 489-9241.
Location: Southwest coast of Prince of Wales
Incorporated in 1929, Klawock is the second largest Island, 15 miles south of Hollis by State Road Port Protection and Point Baker are small fishing
city on Prince of Wales Island. Early inhabitants were 913. Population: 390. Visitor Information: communities located minutes away from each other
from the Tlingit winter village of Tuxekan to the Hydaburg City Hall at (907) 285-3761. by skiff, situated within the vast Tongass National
north. The location was used as a summer fishing Forest at the northern tip of Prince of Wales Island.
camp and through the years has been known as Kasaan The waters of El Capitan Passage provide for some
Klawerak, Tlevak, Clevak and Klawak. of the best halibut fishing anywhere in the world
While the local economy has been dependent Location: East side of Prince of Wales Island on and teem with trophy salmon, huge ling cod, red
on fishing and cannery operations in the past—the Kasaan Bay, 30 miles northwest of Ketchikan. snapper and black rock fish. Local businesses can
last canneries were closed in the late 1980s—the Population: 39. Visitor Information: Kasaan professionally clean, freeze, vacuum seal and box
City Hall at (907) 542-2212. your catch and have it waiting on the dock.
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