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Ketchikan, Alaska

 
Ketchikan, Alaska

 
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Ketchikan, Alaska
 
 
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Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough
Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

Ketchikan Gateway Borough is a Borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the United States Census 2000, the population was 14,070. The borough seat is Ketchikan, Alaska....
, Alaska
Alaska

Alaska is the largest U.S. state of the United States by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait....
, United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
, and the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2007, it is the fifth most populous city in the state.

Ketchikan's economy is based upon tourism and fishing, and the city is known as the "Salmon
Salmon

Salmon is the common name for several species of fish of the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the family are called trout,the difference is often attributed to the migratory life of the salmon as compared to the residential behaviour of trout, this holds true for the Atlantic salmon....
 Capital of the World." The Misty Fjords National Monument
Misty Fjords National Monument

Misty Fjords National Monument was created December 1, 1978, and covers 2,294,343 acres of Tongass National Forest in the Alaska Panhandle of southeast Alaska....
 is one of the area's major attractions.

Ketchikan is named after Ketchikan Creek, which flows through the town.






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Encyclopedia


Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough
Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

Ketchikan Gateway Borough is a Borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the United States Census 2000, the population was 14,070. The borough seat is Ketchikan, Alaska....
, Alaska
Alaska

Alaska is the largest U.S. state of the United States by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait....
, United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
, and the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2007, it is the fifth most populous city in the state.

Ketchikan's economy is based upon tourism and fishing, and the city is known as the "Salmon
Salmon

Salmon is the common name for several species of fish of the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the family are called trout,the difference is often attributed to the migratory life of the salmon as compared to the residential behaviour of trout, this holds true for the Atlantic salmon....
 Capital of the World." The Misty Fjords National Monument
Misty Fjords National Monument

Misty Fjords National Monument was created December 1, 1978, and covers 2,294,343 acres of Tongass National Forest in the Alaska Panhandle of southeast Alaska....
 is one of the area's major attractions.

Ketchikan is named after Ketchikan Creek, which flows through the town. Ketchikan comes from the Tlingit
Tlingit

The Tlingit are an Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Their name for themselves is Ling?t , meaning "people". The Russian language name Koloshi or the related German language name Koulischen may be encountered in older historical literature....
 name for the creek, Kitschk-hin, the meaning of which is unclear. It may mean "the river belonging to Kitschk"; other accounts claim it means "Thundering Wings of an Eagle."

Ketchikan's secondary post office box
Post Office box

A post office box is a uniquely-addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station.In many countries, particularly in Africa, and the Middle East there is no 'door to door' delivery of mail....
 zip code
ZIP Code

File:UseZipCode.JPGThe ZIP code is the system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service . The letters ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, are properly written in capital letters and were chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the code....
, 99950, is the highest zip code ever assigned in the United States. Most residents use the zip code 99901. Ketchikan also has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles, located at three major locations: Saxman Village
Saxman, Alaska

Saxman is a city on Revillagigedo Island in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska in southeastern Alaska, United States. At the 2000 United States Census the population was 431....
, Totem Bight, and the Totem Heritage Center.

Geography

Ketchikan is located at (55.381111, -131.664167) on Revillagigedo Island
Revillagigedo Island

Revillagigedo Island is an island in the Alexander Archipelago in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska of the Alaska Panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska....
, 90 miles (145 km) north of Prince Rupert
Prince Rupert, British Columbia

Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia Coast, and home to some 12,815 people ....
, British Columbia
British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's Provinces and territories of Canada and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu ....
 and 235 miles (378 km) south of Juneau, Alaska.

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, the city has a total area of 4.1 sq mi
Square mile

The square mile is an Imperial system and US customary system of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one mile. It should not be confused with miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared....
 (10.7 kmē). 3.4 sq mi (8.7 kmē) of it is land and 0.8 sq mi (2.0 kmē) of it (18.60%) is water.

  • Average annual rainfall is ; annual average snowfall is .
  • The average high temperature in July is , and the average high temperature in January is .


The ―-mile span called the Tongass Narrows separates Ketchikan from Gravina Island
Gravina Island

Gravina Island is an island in the Gravina Islands of the Alexander Archipelago in southeastern Alaska. It is long and about wide, with a land area of ....
, where Ketchikan International Airport
Ketchikan International Airport

Ketchikan International Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located one nautical mile west of the central business district of Ketchikan, Alaska, a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska in the U.S....
 is located. In August 2005 the 2005 Highway Bill provided for $223m to build the Gravina Island Bridge
Gravina Island Bridge

The Gravina Island Bridge, commonly referred to as the "Bridge to Nowhere", was a proposed bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects Ketchikan, Alaska to the Gravina Island's 50 residents and the Ketchikan International Airport....
 (nicknamed "the Bridge to Nowhere
Gravina Island Bridge

The Gravina Island Bridge, commonly referred to as the "Bridge to Nowhere", was a proposed bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects Ketchikan, Alaska to the Gravina Island's 50 residents and the Ketchikan International Airport....
" by its critics) between Ketchikan and Gravina Island. The bridge would have connected the island of Ketchikan to Gravina island where the airport is located so you can drive to the airport rather than taking the ferry across the waters. After years of national and international ridicule over the expense of this project, the Alaska government ultimately chose not to build the bridge, and will spend the appropriated funds elsewhere. For more information see Gravina Island Bridge.

Demographics

Downtown Ketchikan Alaska
As of 2004, there were 8,044 people, 3,300 households, and 1,997 families residing in the City. The population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 was 2,348.6/sq mi (907.6/kmē). It is the most densely populated city in Alaska. There were 3,645 housing units at an average density of 1,080.6/sq mi (417.6/kmē). The racial makeup of the city was 65.31% White
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.84% Black
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
 or African American
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 19.80% Native American
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 6.85% Asian
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.20% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.52% from other races
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, and 6.68% from two or more races. 3.38% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
 or Latino
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
 of any race.

There were 3,300 households out of which 52% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples
Marriage

Marriage is a social, spirituality, or law union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock....
 living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.09.

The population is spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 32.95% from 25 to 44, 22.35% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.93 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males.

The median income for a household in the City was $44,807, and the median income for a family was $52,529. Males had a median income of $41,926 versus $30,411 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income

Per capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone....
 for the city was $22,484. About 4.9% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

In 2007, the population of the city of Ketchikan was reported at 7,685.
Ketchikan Alaksa Rain Gauge
 Population of Ketchikan
Year Population
1900 1,000
1920 2,500
1930 3,800
1940 4,700
1950 5,300
1960 6,500
1970 7,000
1980 7,200
1990 8,300
2000 7,900


Media

Ketchikan is home to the radio stations KTKN
KTKN

KTKN is a non-commercial radio station airing talk radio and hot adult contemporary music programming in Ketchikan, Alaska....
, KFMJ
KFMJ

KFMJ is a commercial oldies music radio station in Ketchikan, Alaska, broadcasting on 99.9 Frequency Modulation was launched on August 2, 1996....
, KRBD
KRBD

KRBD is a non-commercial radio station in Ketchikan, Alaska, broadcasting on 105.3 Frequency Modulation. The station airs public radio programming from the National Public Radio network, the BBC World Service, and is a member of CoastAlaska....
, and KGTW
KGTW

KGTW is a commercial country music music radio station in Ketchikan, Alaska, broadcasting on 106.7 Frequency Modulation.External links*...
. Ketchikan also houses the publishing offices of the Ketchikan Daily News
Ketchikan Daily News

The Ketchikan Daily News is the primary daily newspaper for Ketchikan, Alaska, Alaska. Its former editor Lew Williams, Jr. is a noted opinion columnist that is published in many Alaskan newspapers....
. The region has local television programming provided by Ketchikan Public Utilities CommVision, which boasts 12 local channels of constantly updating entertainment, borough assembly, city council, school board, and planning commission meetings, Southeast Alaska programming, Ketchikan High School sports and events, local history, gardening and scenes, and a calendar of upcoming local events; local television signals are also translations of Seattle
Seattle, Washington

Seattle is the most populous city in the US state of Washington and the Northwestern United States. The encompassing Seattle metropolitan area is the 15th largest in the United States, and the largest in the Pacific Northwest....
 and Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage is a consolidated city-Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. With an estimated 279,671 municipal residents in 2007 , it is Alaska's largest city and constitutes more than 40 percent of the state's total population....
 stations.

Transportation

Ketchikan serves as both an air and marine transportation hub for southern Southeast Alaska
Alaska Panhandle

The Alaska Panhandle, sometimes referred to as Southeast Alaska, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, which lies just west of the northern half of the Provinces and territories of Canada of British Columbia....
.

The Ketchikan International Airport
Ketchikan International Airport

Ketchikan International Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located one nautical mile west of the central business district of Ketchikan, Alaska, a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska in the U.S....
 serves as both a gateway for Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines, is an airline based in SeaTac, Washington, Washington, United States, near Seattle. It operates four hubs located at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Portland International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport....
 jet service from Seattle
Seattle, Washington

Seattle is the most populous city in the US state of Washington and the Northwestern United States. The encompassing Seattle metropolitan area is the 15th largest in the United States, and the largest in the Pacific Northwest....
 and a bush carrier and charter aircraft hub for destinations like Hyder
Hyder, Alaska

Hyder is a census-designated place in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, Alaska, United States. At the United States Census 2000 the population was 97....
, Metlakatla, Alaska
Metlakatla, Alaska

Metlakatla is a census-designated place on Annette Island in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 United States Census the population was 1,375....
, and Prince of Wales Island.

Ketichikan Creek Street
Ketchikan receives service to two separate ferry lines. Ketchikan sits on the Alaska Marine Highway
Alaska Marine Highway

The Alaska Marine Highway or the Alaska Marine Highway System is a ferry service operated by the government of the U.S. state of Alaska....
's Inside Passage
Inside Passage

The Inside Passage of the Alaska Panhandle and coastal British Columbia is a coastal route for oceangoing vessels along a series of passages between the mainland and the coastal islands....
 route and sees a large number of ships northbound (to the rest of Alaska) and southbound (to Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert, British Columbia

Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia Coast, and home to some 12,815 people ....
 — where a six hour connection can be made to the BC Ferries
BC Ferries

British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. or BC Ferries is a de facto Crown Corporation that provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island communities in the Canadian province of British Columbia....
 system — and Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham, pronounced /beh-ling-HAM/, is the largest city in and the county seat of Whatcom County, Washington in the U.S. state of Washington, and the eleventh largest city in the state....
). Ketchikan also sees regular day service from the Alaska Marine Highway vessel M/V Lituya
M/V Lituya

The M/V Lituya is a shuttle ferry for the Alaska Marine Highway System.The M/V Lituya was built by Conrad Shipyards in Morgan City, Louisiana, Louisiana in 2004....
, a day boat that shuttles between Ketchikan and Metlakatla, its homeport.

The Inter-Island Ferry Authority
Inter-Island Ferry Authority

The Inter-Island Ferry Authority is a ferry service in the U.S. state of Alaska with its headquarters based in Craig, Alaska on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska....
 serves Ketchikan daily (and, in the summer, twice daily) with the dayboat M/V Prince of Wales
M/V Prince of Wales

The M/V Prince of Wales is the first vessel, and currently one of two vessels, in the Inter-Island Ferry Authority . She is the sister ship to the M/V Stikine....
 from its homeport in Hollis
Hollis, Alaska

Hollis is a census-designated place in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, Alaska, United States. At the United States Census 2000 the population was 139....
 on Prince of Wales Island. Ketchikan often serves as a connection between the Prince of Wales and mainline Alaska Marine Highway vessels that run to the rest of Southeast Alaska.

Education


Colleges and universities

  • University of Alaska Southeast
    University of Alaska Southeast

    The University of Alaska Southeast is a regional university in the University of Alaska System. Its main campus is located in Juneau, Alaska and it has extended campuses in Sitka City and Borough, Alaska and Ketchikan, Alaska....


Public education

  • Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District
    Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District

    The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District provides k-12 public education to the children of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough and Ketchikan, Alaska, Alaska....
    • Ketchikan High School
      Ketchikan High School

      Ketchikan High School, often referred to as Kayhi, is the primary high school for the Alaska Panhandle community of Ketchikan, Alaska and the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District....
    • Revilla Junior/Senior High School


Sister cities



Domestic

  • Palm Desert
    Palm Desert, California

    Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs, California....
    , California
    California

    California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....


International

Ketchikan's former sister city of Kanayama
Gero, Gifu

is a city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The city is famous for its hot springs. The Hida River runs throughout the city....
-cho ??? (???????, literally Kanayama-town) along with
  • Hagiwara-cho ???(???????)
  • Osaka-cho ???(??????)
  • Gero-cho ???
  • Maze-mura ???


were incorporated into the larger city of Gero
Gero, Gifu

is a city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The city is famous for its hot springs. The Hida River runs throughout the city....
-shi ???on March 1, 2004.

Notable residents

  • Evon Zerbetz, an artist and book illustrator is a Ketchikan resident, she was the illustrator of author Karen Hesse
    Karen Hesse

    Karen Hesse is an United States author of children's literature and Young adult literature, often with historical fiction settings. Her novel Out of the Dust was the winner of the 1998 Newbery Medal and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction....
    's YA novel Aleutian Sparrow.
  • Computer programmer and linguist Sean M. Burke
    Sean M. Burke

    Sean Michael Burke is a Perl programmer with a background in linguistics. He was a columnist for The Perl Journal and has written several dozen CPAN modules, as well as the O'Reilly Media books ' and '....
     is a resident.
  • Ray Troll, an artist who blends art and science in his fish-laden drawings.

See also

  • Alaska Panhandle
    Alaska Panhandle

    The Alaska Panhandle, sometimes referred to as Southeast Alaska, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, which lies just west of the northern half of the Provinces and territories of Canada of British Columbia....
  • Tlingit
    Tlingit

    The Tlingit are an Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Their name for themselves is Ling?t , meaning "people". The Russian language name Koloshi or the related German language name Koulischen may be encountered in older historical literature....
  • Haida
    Haida

    The Haida are an Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. The Haida territories comprise the archipelago of the Queen Charlotte Islands, known in the Haida language as Haida Gwaii , and the southern half of Prince of Wales Island in the southernmost Alaska Panhandle, which is the home of a subgroup called the '...
  • Tsimshian
    Tsimshian

    The Tsimshian are an Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Tsimshian translates to Inside the Skeena River. Their communities are in British Columbia and Alaska, around Terrace, British Columbia and Prince Rupert, British Columbia and the southernmost corner of Alaska on Annette Island....


External links

  • official website
  • official website
  • official website