| Page Views: 22,607 Last Visit to Juneau: July, 2006 | Juneau by starship - last update: Jun 9, 2008 |
Capital of Alaska | On a sunny Juneau day - postcard |
In July, 2006, we visited Juneau for the third time and had a great time seeing & doing some of the things we didn't have a chance to the first two times!! The call of Alaska gets stronger each time we visit!
Juneau is marvelously encapsulated by the majesty of the environment surrounding it! If you do a little research on Juneau, you will learn that this remote jewel of a capital can only be reached by air or sea. No roads leading into or out of Juneau make for a somewhat limited and select group of persons who can visit it. Today, almost a million visitors come by cruise ship each year and another 100,000 arrive independently. (Thanks to "RickinDutch" for the updated information on the ever expanding number of visitors to Alaska.)
Perched on the water's edge of the Gastineau Channel, and towered over by mountains which jut up against the Juneau Icefield, Juneau is surrounded by some of the best scenary you will come across anywhere. The attractions here are numerous and enticing and will make you want to spend more than just a day. Juneau offers the opportunity to explore some of the best that Alaska has to offer while still being attached to civilization. You will find plenty of charming B & B's to stay at, interesting places to eat and visit, and don't forget---shopping!
A Few Facts:
Juneau is named for Joseph Juneau, one of a pair of prospectors who were enticed by a mining engineer named George Pilz to lead him to a source of gold in Alaska. Joseph Juneau and Richard T. Harris had reached the Gastineau Channel in August, 1880, but it wasn't until Chief Kowee of the Auk Tlingit tribe urged their return to the area that the pair climbed Snow Slide Gulch and found the "mother lode" of gold in Silver Bow Basin. That October, Harris and Juneau staked 160 acres of land on the shore of the Gastineau Channel and the town of Juneau was born. What was once a seasonal, native fishing village of the Auk-Tlingit tribe became a center of large-scale, hard-rock mining. Even today the surrounding mountains are honeycombed by miles of underground tunnels from the great mines such as the Alaska-Juneau Mine and the Alaska-Gastineau Mine. Douglas Island, now incorporated into the city of Juneau, was once home to 960 stamping mills of the world renowned Treadwell Gold Mining Company!! Production from Treadwell's four mines peaked in 1915, just two years before a cave-in lead to the flooding of three of the four Treadwell mines. Mining production was further reduced and ultimately ended when World War II lead to shortages of manpower and supplies. Amazingly, there are still more miles of underground mining tunnels than roads in all of Juneau!!
When you are in Juneau, you are in the heart of the Tongass National Forest, the largest temperate rainforest in North America!! |
|  | Heritage Remembered This beautiful mural depicts the type of scene that you will forever more connect with Alaska. (Click on the picture to enlarge the detail.) This particular mural is painted on one side of Juneau's City Hall located on the corner of Shatuck Way. When visiting Alaska, or anywhere in the far northwest of North America, it will be impossible for you to miss the fact that the heritage of this region lies largely in its native Indian tribes, also sometimes called "First Nations." The distinctive history of these people is displayed in their art everywhere--from carvings, to jewelry, in clothes, in museums, and painted murals. Take the opportunity to explore the "new" history of Alaska and the Northwest, but don't forget to appreciate the past. |
| View of cruise ships in Gastineau Channel |
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| Pros: | "Glaciers, Mountains, Water & Wildlife ~ The Outdoor Life!" | | Cons: | "Maybe a few too many rainy days, long hours of darkness in winter!" | | In A Nutshell: | "Juneau has breathtaking vistas whether in mist or sun!" |
starship's Juneau Travel Tips
 Comments for starship about Juneau | | | | |
VeronicaG Sat Nov 7, 2009 20:37 UTC
Alaska certainly seems a beautiful place--glaciers, wildlife, stunning views, interesting history...sounds like an opportunity not to be missed! | Bwana_Brown Thu Aug 13, 2009 14:07 UTC
Sylvia, an excellent page on Juneau - a place I never really knew much about until now! Of all those very interestig activities available for visitors, I like the sound of that zip-line experience and you can't go wrong with a day on the water either! | junecorlett Thu Jul 2, 2009 13:50 UTC
We also enjoyed a drink at the Red Dog Saloon. Nice page here. | HORSCHECK Mon Nov 24, 2008 22:18 UTC
Sylvia, excellent page with brilliant photos and interesting commentaries about Juneau. Alaska is one of the states I would love to visit one day. |
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