Juneau Information, History and Websites

Juneau is:

The Capital of Alaska

Located on the mainland of Southeast Alaska, 900 air miles northwest of Seattle and 600 air miles southeast of Anchorage

Population:  31,262

Third largest city in Alaska by population; one of the largest cities, by area, in the U.S.

Accessible only by air and sea

 

Home of the State Legislature

The State, City & Borough of Juneau, and federal agencies provide nearly 45% of the employment in the community. Juneau is home to State Legislators, their families and staff during the legislative session between January and May. Don’t miss a visit to the State Capitol on your next visit to Juneau. This historic building is open year round.

Tourism, mining, fishing and more

Tourism is a significant contributor to the private sector economy during the summer months, providing a $130 million income and nearly 2,000 jobs. Support services for logging and fish processing contribute to the economy. More than 500 residents hold commercial fishing permits. The state operates a hatchery which increases the local salmon population, and cold storage facilities process more than two million pounds of seafood yearly. The Kennecott Greens Creek Mine produces gold, silver, lead and zinc, and is the largest silver mine in North America.

Climate

Juneau has a mild, maritime climate. Average summer temperatures range from 44ºF to 65ºF; winter temperatures range from 25ºF to 35ºF. It is in the mildest climate zone in Alaska. Annual precipitation is 92 inches in downtown Juneau, and 54 inches ten miles north at the airport. Snowfall averages 101 inches per year.

 

 

Although the Gastineau Channel was a favorite fishing ground for local Tlingit Indians, the town was founded on gold nuggets. In 1880, Sitka mining engineer George Pilz offered a reward to any local chief who could lead him to gold-bearing ore. Chief Kowee of the Auk Tlingit tribe arrived with just that ore and Pilz sent two prospectors, Joe Juneau and Dick Harris, to investigate.

At the head of Gold Creek they found, in the words of Harris, 'little lumps as large as peas and beans.' On October 18, 1880, the two men staked out a 160-acre town site, and almost overnight a mining camp appeared. It was the state's first major gold strike, and within a year the camp became a small town, the first to be founded after Alaska's purchase from the Russians.

Initially, the town was called Harrisburg and then Rockwell, then in 1881 the miners met and officially named it after Juneau. The post office was established shortly later, and the name has stuck. After the declining whaling and fur trade reduced the importance of Sitka, the capital of Alaska was moved to Juneau in 1906.

The Treadwell and Ready Bullion mines across the channel on Douglas Island became world-scale mines, operating from 1882 to 1917. In 1916, the Alaska-Juneau gold mine was built on the mainland, and became the largest operation of its kind in the world. In 1917, a cave-in and flood closed the Treadwell mine on Douglas. It produced $66 million in gold in its 35 years of operation. Fishing, canneries, transportation and trading services, and a sawmill contributed to Juneau's growth through the early 1900s. The A-J Mine closed in 1944, after producing over $80 million in gold.

Alaska became the 49th state in 1959 and Juneau has continued to grow as a vibrant and exciting capital city.