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Information
Combining
spectacular natural
beauty and wildlife
viewing, central Southeast
Alaska is a prime location
for travelers seeking
independence and adventure.
The census area's largest
towns, Petersburg and
Wrangell, are nestled
among the forests of
the Tongass National
Forest and along the
waterways of the Inside
Passage. This unique
location has provided
the towns with a substantial
stake in the fishing
and logging industries,
and more recently,
an interest in developing
the independent traveler
market. With fishing
village images and
small town appeal,
the communities of
central Southeast Alaska
are often considered
hidden "gems" along
Alaska's coast.
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Petersburg
is predominantly recognized
for its strong commercial
fishing and Norwegian
heritage, the influences
of which can still
be seen in the town
today. The annual Little
Norway Festival every
May draws in both residents
and visitors for a
showcase of Norwegian
history and culture,
along with a three-day
celebration of the
Norwegian Independence
Day. The area around
Petersburg is a heavily
forested and mountainous
terrain, thus attracting
many visitors for outdoor
activities such as
hiking, wildlife viewing
and kayaking. The Tongass
National Forest is
a major ecotourism
attraction, and as
Petersburg is completely
surrounded by the forest,
it often represents
itself as an "off-the-beaten-path" gateway
to the park. Other
activities available
in the Petersburg area
include viewing the
humpback whales of
Frederick Sound, touring
the calving glaciers
of the LaConte Glacier,
and fishing for salmon
and pacific halibut.
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| Wrangell,
known worldwide as a
fisherman's paradise
and a rafter's dream,
is considered the "gateway
to the Stikine River," one
of the great waterways
of southeast Alaska.
The 400-mile river carves
its way through glacial
valleys and delta flats,
offering spectacular
opportunities for bird
watching, kayaking, photography
and more. Thirteen miles
south of modern day Wrangell,
Kotzlitzna was a base
from which Tlingit residents
used their ancient trade
route to the interior
along the Stikine River.
Fort
Wrangell |
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is
one of the oldest non-Native
settlements
in Alaska. In 1811, the
Russians began fur trading
with the Stikine Tlingits,
and built a stockade named
Redoubt Saint Dionysius
in 1834. The island was
named for Ferdinand von
Wrangel, manager of the
Russian-American Co. around
1830. The British of Hudson’s
Bay Co. leased the fort
in 1840 and named the stockade
Fort Stikine.
Located
on Prince of Wales
Island, Coffman Cove is
a unique
community that serves
primarily as a base for
loggers,
yet is also known for
its oyster farming. Fishing
is a prime recreational
activity in Coffman
Cove, an area that consists
of
one thousand miles
of
coastline along Prince
of Wales Island.
The hundreds of bays,
coves, inlets, and waterways
around
the island provide
sanctuary to a diverse
assortment
of marine birds and
mammals as well as numerous
species
of saltwater and freshwater
fish.
Location
Located
on the northern tip of
Mitkof Island in Alaska's
Inside Passage, Petersburg
lies 150 miles south of
Juneau in the heart of
the Tongass National Forest
and is accessible by air
and water only. Its harbor
can accommodate smaller-sized
ships and provides a safe
haven for yachts sailing
within Alaska's Inside
Passage.
Wrangell,
which is located on the
north end of Wrangell Island,
is approximately 40 miles
south of Petersburg. It
sits on the mouth of Stikine
River and is also accessible
by air and water only.
Wrangell is served by smaller
cruise ships, primarily
those with passenger loads
of 130 - 530 people.
Coffman
Cove, on the northeastern
side of Prince of Wales
Island, is accessible by
boat or floatplane and
is approximately 70 miles
from Hollis, the nearest
ferry stop on the island.
The inter-island road system
provides both paved and
unpaved road access to
Coffman Cove.
Additional
Resources
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