Ketchikan, Alaska

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the

southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of

14,070 in 2010, 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 Capital of the World." The Misty Fjords National Monument is
one of the area's major attractions.

Ketchikan is named after Ketchikan Creek, which flows through the town.
Ketchikan comes from the Tlingit 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 ZIP 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, Totem Bight, and
the Totem Heritage Center.

Geography

Ketchikan is located on Revillagigedo Island, 90 miles (145 km) north of
Prince Rupert, British Columbia and 235 miles (378 km) south of Juneau,
Alaska.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4

1 sq mi (10.7 km²). 3.4 sq mi (8.7 km²) of it is land and 0.8 sq mi (2.0
km²) of it (18.60%) is water.

* Average annual rainfall is 152 inches (3,900 mm); annual average
snowfall is 37 inches (94 cm).
* The average high temperature in July is 65 °F (18 °C), and the average
high temperature in January is 39 °F (4 °C).

The ½-mile-wide channel called the Tongass Narrows separates Ketchikan from Gravina Island, where Ketchikan International Airport is located. In August 2005 the 2005 Highway Bill provided for $223m to build the Gravina Island Bridge (nicknamed "the Bridge to Nowhere" 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 one 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.