Klawock, Alaska
Encyclopedia
Klawock is a city in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, in the U.S. state of Alaska
, on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island, on Klawock Inlet, across from Klawock Island. The population was 854 at the 2000 census
.
It is 90 km (55.9 mi) from Ketchikan
, 11 km (seven mi) from Craig
, and 39 km (24.2 mi) from Hollis
.
In 1868, European Americans opened a trading post
and a salmon
saltery; some years later, in 1878, a San Francisco firm opened the first cannery in Alaska. In the following decades, several others were established. A United States post office
was established in 1882. The 1890 census recorded the town's population as 260.
The Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB) and Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS), nonprofit organizations working for civil rights of Alaska Natives
, were established by residents in 1912. Its founders and many volunteers built the Town Hall and a community center in 1939, during the Great Depression
.
In 1929 the town incorporated as a city, and in 1934 Congress
awarded federal funding for the expansion of the cannery, on the condition that the community remain liquor-free. At the same time, the Klawock Cooperative Association (a nonprofit organization) was formed to manage the cannery.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), of which, 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (34.83%) is water.
Average temperature in January is 3°C (37°F), and 14°C (58°F) in July; yearly precipitation
is 305 cm (120 in).
, 50.94% Native American
, 0.47% Asian
, 0.12% Pacific Islander
, 0.12% from other races
, and 7.38% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 313 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 30.1% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 124.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 134.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,000, and the median income for a family was $38,839. Males had a median income of $38,977 versus $23,036 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,621. About 13.6% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
in Alaska. This industry enhances the runs of salmon, including sockeye
, coho
, and steelhead. A sawmill and area logging
operations are located here.
Klawock has a harbor, often used by tourists as a departure point for trips or boating exploration of the bays, inlets, and surrounding islands.
Each February 16, the ANB/ANS organizations sponsor the "Elizabeth Peratrovich
Celebration" with ceremonies and a potluck, honoring the anniversary of passage of the landmark legislation. The city also sponsors a summer festival, the "Celebration by the Sea."
A Totem Park has 21 totem pole
s, one of the largest collections in Alaska: it displays original and replica totems from the old village of Tuxekan. The city built a carving shed to house the poles during restoration, which can be visited. In 1998 the city commissioned construction of a Long House (named Gaanì Ax Adi) with a new totem pole.
. The local government manages the water, wastewater, refuse collection, trailer court, landfill, boat harbor, liquor store, and boat ramp utilities. There is a local sales tax of 5.5%, which 0.5% is devoted to education, and no property tax.
There are four full time police officers and an office for the Alaska State Troopers
. There is also a volunteer fire department with 27 members, an EMS
squad of 6-8 trained volunteers, and a search and rescue office (serving all of Prince of Wales Island) with 57 members.
is the only airport on Prince of Wales Island and serves as the air transport gateway for nearby Craig
as well. It receives charters and daily scheduled passenger service from Ketchikan
from Promech and Pacific Airways.
from either Prince of Wales Island communities of Hollis
(M/V Prince of Wales
, with service to Ketchikan) or Coffman Cove
(M/V Stikine
, with service to Wrangell
or Petersburg
) which are both accessible through Prince of Wales' road system.
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in 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...
, on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island, on Klawock Inlet, across from Klawock Island. The population was 854 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
It is 90 km (55.9 mi) from Ketchikan
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2010 within the city limits, it is the fifth most populous city in the state....
, 11 km (seven mi) from Craig
Craig, Alaska
Craig is a first-class city in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area in the Unorganized Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. The population was 1,397 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, and 39 km (24.2 mi) from Hollis
Hollis, Alaska
Hollis is a census-designated place in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 139.-Geography:Hollis is located at ....
.
History
Klawock's first settlers were Tlingit who came from the northern winter village of Tuxekan. They used it as a fishing camp for the summer period, and called it by several different names: Klawerak, Tlevak, Clevak, and Klawak.In 1868, European Americans opened a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
and a salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
saltery; some years later, in 1878, a San Francisco firm opened the first cannery in Alaska. In the following decades, several others were established. A United States post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established in 1882. The 1890 census recorded the town's population as 260.
The Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB) and Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS), nonprofit organizations working for civil rights of Alaska Natives
Alaska Natives
Alaska Natives are the indigenous peoples of Alaska. They include: Aleut, Inuit, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Eyak, and a number of Northern Athabaskan cultures.-History:In 1912 the Alaska Native Brotherhood was founded...
, were established by residents in 1912. Its founders and many volunteers built the Town Hall and a community center in 1939, during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
In 1929 the town incorporated as a city, and in 1934 Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
awarded federal funding for the expansion of the cannery, on the condition that the community remain liquor-free. At the same time, the Klawock Cooperative Association (a nonprofit organization) was formed to manage the cannery.
Notable natives and residents
- Frank Peratrovich, then-mayor of Klawock and later president of the ANB, became one of the 55 delegates to the Alaska ConstitutionAlaska ConstitutionThe Constitution of the State of Alaska is the constitution of the U.S. state of Alaska. It was ratified in 1956 and took effect with Alaska's admission as a state on January 3, 1959.-The statehood movement:...
al Convention in 1955. - Both he and his wife Elizabeth PeratrovichElizabeth PeratrovichElizabeth Peratrovich , Tlingit nation, was an important civil rights activist; she worked on behalf of equality for Alaska Natives...
, president of the Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS), worked in the 1940s on anti-discrimination legislation. She is credited with gaining senate approval in 1945 due to her passionate testimony about the effects of discrimination. The state has recognized her contribution, naming February 16 and Gallery B of the State Capitol in her honor.
Geography
Klawock is located at 55°33′18"N 133°5′7"W (55.554961, -133.085139).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 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), of which, 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (34.83%) is water.
Average temperature in January is 3°C (37°F), and 14°C (58°F) in July; yearly precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
is 305 cm (120 in).
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 854 people, 313 households, and 215 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,465.4 people per square mile (568.5/km²). There were 368 housing units at an average density of 631.4 per square mile (245.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 40.98% WhiteRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 50.94% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.47% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.12% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.12% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 7.38% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 313 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 30.1% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 124.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 134.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,000, and the median income for a family was $38,839. Males had a median income of $38,977 versus $23,036 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,621. About 13.6% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Local features and attractions
Klawock has the oldest hatcheryHatchery
A hatchery is a facility where eggs are hatched under artificial conditions, especially those of fish or poultry. It may be used for ex-situ conservation purposes, i.e. to breed rare or endangered species under controlled conditions; alternatively, it may be for economic reasons A hatchery is a...
in Alaska. This industry enhances the runs of salmon, including sockeye
Sockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon , also called red salmon or blueback salmon in the USA, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it...
, coho
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
, and steelhead. A sawmill and area logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
operations are located here.
Klawock has a harbor, often used by tourists as a departure point for trips or boating exploration of the bays, inlets, and surrounding islands.
Each February 16, the ANB/ANS organizations sponsor the "Elizabeth Peratrovich
Elizabeth Peratrovich
Elizabeth Peratrovich , Tlingit nation, was an important civil rights activist; she worked on behalf of equality for Alaska Natives...
Celebration" with ceremonies and a potluck, honoring the anniversary of passage of the landmark legislation. The city also sponsors a summer festival, the "Celebration by the Sea."
A Totem Park has 21 totem pole
Totem pole
Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from large trees, mostly Western Red Cedar, by cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America...
s, one of the largest collections in Alaska: it displays original and replica totems from the old village of Tuxekan. The city built a carving shed to house the poles during restoration, which can be visited. In 1998 the city commissioned construction of a Long House (named Gaanì Ax Adi) with a new totem pole.
Law and government
There is a mayor and a council, but the city is not located in any boroughBorough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
. The local government manages the water, wastewater, refuse collection, trailer court, landfill, boat harbor, liquor store, and boat ramp utilities. There is a local sales tax of 5.5%, which 0.5% is devoted to education, and no property tax.
There are four full time police officers and an office for the Alaska State Troopers
Alaska State Troopers
The Division of Alaska State Troopers is the state police agency of Alaska. It is a division of the Alaska Department of Public Safety . The Alaska State Troopers are a full service law enforcement agency and handle both traffic and criminal law enforcement...
. There is also a volunteer fire department with 27 members, an EMS
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
squad of 6-8 trained volunteers, and a search and rescue office (serving all of Prince of Wales Island) with 57 members.
Education
There is a school with grades K-6 and a high school with grades 7-12 both administered by the Klawock City School District. On average, 200 students are enrolled yearly. The Head Start school (three to four year olds) is run by the Tlingit and Haida Central Council.Airport
The 5,000 foot and paved Klawock AirportKlawock Airport
Klawock Airport is a state-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Klawock, a city in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska.Although most U.S...
is the only airport on Prince of Wales Island and serves as the air transport gateway for nearby Craig
Craig, Alaska
Craig is a first-class city in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area in the Unorganized Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. The population was 1,397 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
as well. It receives charters and daily scheduled passenger service from Ketchikan
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2010 within the city limits, it is the fifth most populous city in the state....
from Promech and Pacific Airways.
Ferry
Ferry service is available through the Inter-Island Ferry AuthorityInter-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 on Prince of Wales Island.-History:...
from either Prince of Wales Island communities of Hollis
Hollis, Alaska
Hollis is a census-designated place in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 139.-Geography:Hollis is located at ....
(M/V Prince of Wales
M/V Prince of Wales
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 .She was constructed at Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Washington....
, with service to Ketchikan) or Coffman Cove
Coffman Cove, Alaska
Coffman Cove is a city in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, in the United States. It is located on Prince of Wales Island. The population was 199 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Coffman Cove is located at ....
(M/V Stikine
M/V Stikine
M/V Stikine is the second of two vessels in the Inter-Island Ferry Authority fleet. She is the sister ship to the .She was constructed at Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Washington....
, with service to Wrangell
Wrangell, Alaska
Wrangell is a city and borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. At the 2000 census the population was 2,308.Its Tlingit name is Ḵaachx̱aana.áakʼw . The Tlingit people residing in the Wrangell area, who were there centuries before Europeans, call themselves the Shtaxʼhéen Ḵwáan after the nearby Stikine...
or Petersburg
Petersburg, Alaska
Petersburg is a city in Petersburg Census Area, Alaska, in the United States. According to 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 2,824 full time residents.- History :...
) which are both accessible through Prince of Wales' road system.