Ketchikan, Alaska (Thursday 8/26) 6:00 am - 12:00 noon:
Ketchikan is known as one of Alaska's rainiest towns, but don't let that stop you from exploring the area's natural splendor. Some say the frequent rains, or often mists, contribute to the area's beauty, and many tourists spend the day kayaking through fjords or hiking in the mountains. If you'd rather keep dry, Ketchikan houses many fantastic shops and galleries.
Overview of Ketchikan:
Captain George Vancouver, during an exploration of the Inside Passage in 1793, discovered the land now known as Ketchikan. The Captain often named his discoveries after his friends or relatives. Ketchikan was the Viceroy of Mexico at that time.
In the year 1883, the first white settlers came to Ketchikan and built a fish saltery, followed by more than a dozen canneries producing more than 2 million cases of salmon per year. Ketchikan quickly earned the title Salmon Capital of the World.
In 1897, mining contributed to the growth of the settlement with the Gold Rush Era and, believe it or not, today "Gold Rush Fever" is still alive! In 1903, the Ketchikan Spruce Mill opened andprovided lumber to the salmon industry.
The other mainstay of Ketchikan for the past several years has been tourism. It has helped build up the area beautifully. Now there are first-class hotels, fine galleries, a small downtown of lush gardens, good shopping, wonderful restaurants and the name Ketchikan is now known as an oasis in Alaska.
There are over 400 cruise ship calls each year, enhancing the area and helping make Ketchikan "Alaska's First City". Ketchikan enjoys a lush green landscape 365 days a year thanks to an average of 162 inches of precipitation, which includes about 32 inches of snow. Winters can be chilly but the year round climate is rather temperate and temperatures can rech into the 70s during summer.
Ketchikan at a Glance:
Ketchikan is located on the Alaska's Inside Passage, on the western shoreline of Revillagigedo Island, in the heart of the Tongass National Forest. Taxis are metered and tours are available. The time zone is the Alaska Daylight Time which is a four hour difference from the Eastern Standard Time zone. The currency is the U.S.Dollar and the population is 15,000.
