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Ketchikan again! Because of inclement weather conditions in Sitka, the captain has replaced Sitka with a visit to Ketchikan today. I was able to take the downtown walking tour that I didn’t take last week. I also visited the wonderful local museum and took the express trolley around us downtown. Attached is a photo of the 2000 passenger celebrity millennium ship I was on last week next to the 4200 passenger capacity Royal Caribbean ovation of the sea ship I am on this week.
Ketchikan, located near the southern most tip of Alaska’s panhandle, is known for salmon fishing, rainy skies, misty fjords National monument, it’s recent past as a logging town (with both a paper mill and pulp mill), the contributions made from tax revenues of the oldest profession in history, it’s link to the gold rush, wildlife sanctuaries, picturesque hiking trails, vast presence of Eagles, and it’s unique and varied totem poles.
It has more totem poles any other city and they can be viewed from several locations downtown and in forrests just outside the city. Totem poles, a 7000 year-old tradition, represent family crests, history, protection, and they can even be constructed to cast shame on others. I saw the totem pole designed to caste shame on Abraham Lincoln. Many of the locals had slaves and were furious when slavery was outlawed, so they constructed a symbol to dishonor him. Every totem pole tells a story with a series of animal and human figures, arranged vertically. Traditionally, the totem poles of this area feature ravens, eagles, killer whales, wolves, bears, frogs and the likeness of ancestors. Although they reflect spirituality, they are never to be worshiped. Importantly totem poles, once installed, can never be moved to a different location . Most took at least six months to create. I saw the Chief Johnson pole of 1901, with the fog woman and Raven images, right in downtown Ketchikan.
Ketchikan as a small sleepy town with only 8000 residents. It is mostly built right over the water.
Although it rains 230 days out of the year, residents welcome the rain because it provides there drinking water.
The town of Ketchikan is relatively easy to visit on foot where are you can visit a salmon ladder, totem heritage center, various wildlife and heritage museums, the Alaska discovery center, The famous lumberjack show, replicas of several famous totem poles, the Ketchikan fire department, and the home of the most famous madame Dolly‘s house. A century ago, Dolly Arthur used her resources to fund critical projects for the city including rebuilding parts of the town, funding schools hospitals, and even building housing for the downtrodden. At one time, $.80 of every dollar earned was spent on the world’s oldest profession.
Symbols of the native Tlingit culture can be found throughout the city. Even the name Ketchikan, was derived from this indigenous/1st nation people and it means “thundering wings of an eagle.”
As in most parts of Alaska, there are many opportunities for whale watching.
Last week on the Celebrity millennium, our naturalist told us if we don’t see an eagle or a whale from the ship, she will take us to the eye doctor because we have poor eyesight. I hope to see some from my balcony.
Thank you for reading. I will edit my post when I return home from my trip.
