Metlakatla, Alaska
Encyclopedia
Metlakatla is a census-designated place
(CDP) on Annette Island
in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,375.
word meaning "Salt Water Passage." Metlakatla was named after another village of the same name
("Old Metlakatla") in British Columbia
, which is on Metlakatla Pass, near Prince Rupert. In a more ancient time, it was a Tlingit hunting ground known as "Taquan". The Tsimshians were granted permission to own the land by Chief Johnson of the Tlinget tribe.
In 1886, William Duncan
, an English tannery employee and lay minister of the Anglican
Church, had a doctrinal dispute with the Church authorities in Metlakatla, B.C. He and a devoted group of Tsimshian
followers decided to leave Metlakatla. Duncan went to Washington, D.C., in the United States and asked the U.S. government to give his group land in Alaska
. The U.S. under President Cleveland
gave them Annette Island
after a search committee in sea-going canoes discovered its calm bay, accessible beaches, nearby waterfall, and abundant fish.
In 1887 the group arrived on the island and built a settlement in the Port Chester area of the island. The town was laid out in a neat grid pattern and contained a church, a school, a tannery, and a sawmill. They named the town New Metlakatla, after the town they had left behind, but later dropped the "New". In 1888, William Duncan returned to Washington and lobbied the U.S. Congress for an Indian reservation
on Annette Island. Although the reservation system had not been used in Alaska, this request was granted in 1891. Annette Island and its surrounding islands today comprise the only Indian reservation in Alaska. Duncan remained at Metlakatla until his death in 1918.
During World War II, a large airfield was built on Annette Island. This airfield became "the first Canadian force ever based in U.S. territory to directly assist in American defense." After the war it became a United States Coast Guard
search and rescue
base. This airfield served the area commercially until the 1970s when the new Ketchikan Airport was built at Gravina Island in the Inside Passage.
Travelers into Metlakatla usually reach it the Alaska Marine Highway
ferry or by traveling to Ketchikan, on Revillagigedo Island
and crossing the Revillagigedo Channel
that separates Annette and Revillagigedo Islands by boat or seaplane.
Since 1997, a joint task force under the command and control of Alaska Command and led by the Missouri Army National Guard
has worked at constructing a 15-mile road from one side of Annette Island to the other. Members of the Active and Reserve Components of the Army
, Navy
, United States Air Force
, and the Marines have rotated through the island working to build the road. The military completed its work on the project in 2007. The project is the result of a 50-year old treaty promising the Metlakatla Indian Community a road connecting their ocean-side city to Alaska's inside passage, to allow year-round ferry service to Ketchikan.
, about 25 km (15.5 mi) south of Ketchikan
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), of which, 2.3 square miles (6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.85%) is water.
, 0.22% Black
or African American
, 81.82% Native American
, 0.07% Asian
, 0.51% from other races
, and 7.85% from two or more races. 1.82% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 469 households out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.50.
In the CDP the age distribution of the population shows 33.1% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $43,516, and the median income for a family was $49,671. Males had a median income of $36,696 versus $22,292 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $16,140. About 7.7% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) on Annette Island
Annette Island
Annette Island, or Taak'w Aan, is an island in Gravina Islands of the Alexander Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean on the southeastern coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is at . It is about long and about wide. The land area is...
in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,375.
History
Metlakatla comes from Maxłakxaała, a TsimshianCoast Tsimshian
Coast Tsimshian, known by its speakers as Sm'algyax, is a Tsimshianic language spoken by the Tsimshian nation in northwestern British Columbia and southeastern Alaska...
word meaning "Salt Water Passage." Metlakatla was named after another village of the same name
Metlakatla, British Columbia
Metlakatla, British Columbia, is a small community that is one of the seven Tsimshian village communities in British Columbia, Canada. It is situated at Metlakatla Pass near Prince Rupert, British Columbia...
("Old Metlakatla") in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, which is on Metlakatla Pass, near Prince Rupert. In a more ancient time, it was a Tlingit hunting ground known as "Taquan". The Tsimshians were granted permission to own the land by Chief Johnson of the Tlinget tribe.
In 1886, William Duncan
William Duncan (missionary)
William Duncan was an English-born Anglican missionary who founded the Tsimshian communities of Metlakatla, British Columbia, in Canada, and Metlakatla, Alaska, in the United States...
, an English tannery employee and lay minister of the Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
Church, had a doctrinal dispute with the Church authorities in Metlakatla, B.C. He and a devoted group of Tsimshian
Tsimshian
The Tsimshian are an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Tsimshian translates to Inside the Skeena River. Their communities are in British Columbia and Alaska, around Terrace and Prince Rupert and the southernmost corner of Alaska on Annette Island. There are approximately 10,000...
followers decided to leave Metlakatla. Duncan went to Washington, D.C., in the United States and asked the U.S. government to give his group land in Alaska
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...
. The U.S. under President Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
gave them Annette Island
Annette Island
Annette Island, or Taak'w Aan, is an island in Gravina Islands of the Alexander Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean on the southeastern coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is at . It is about long and about wide. The land area is...
after a search committee in sea-going canoes discovered its calm bay, accessible beaches, nearby waterfall, and abundant fish.
In 1887 the group arrived on the island and built a settlement in the Port Chester area of the island. The town was laid out in a neat grid pattern and contained a church, a school, a tannery, and a sawmill. They named the town New Metlakatla, after the town they had left behind, but later dropped the "New". In 1888, William Duncan returned to Washington and lobbied the U.S. Congress for an Indian reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
on Annette Island. Although the reservation system had not been used in Alaska, this request was granted in 1891. Annette Island and its surrounding islands today comprise the only Indian reservation in Alaska. Duncan remained at Metlakatla until his death in 1918.
During World War II, a large airfield was built on Annette Island. This airfield became "the first Canadian force ever based in U.S. territory to directly assist in American defense." After the war it became a United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
base. This airfield served the area commercially until the 1970s when the new Ketchikan Airport was built at Gravina Island in the Inside Passage.
Travelers into Metlakatla usually reach it the Alaska Marine Highway
Alaska Marine Highway
The Alaska Marine Highway or the Alaska Marine Highway System is a ferry service operated by the government of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has its headquarters in Ketchikan, Alaska....
ferry or by traveling to Ketchikan, on Revillagigedo Island
Revillagigedo Island
Revillagigedo Island is an island in the Alexander Archipelago in Ketchikan Gateway Borough of the southeastern region of the U.S. state of Alaska. Running about 89 km north-south and 48 km east-west, it is 2,754.835 km² in area, making it the 12th largest island in the United...
and crossing the Revillagigedo Channel
Revillagigedo Channel
Revillagigedo Channel is an ocean channel in the Alexander Archipelago of the U.S. state of Alaska. Extending 56 km northwest from the Dixon Entrance, it lies between the mainland to the east, Revillagigedo Island to the north, and Duke Island and Annette Island to the southwest...
that separates Annette and Revillagigedo Islands by boat or seaplane.
Since 1997, a joint task force under the command and control of Alaska Command and led by the Missouri Army National Guard
Missouri Army National Guard
The Missouri Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
has worked at constructing a 15-mile road from one side of Annette Island to the other. Members of the Active and Reserve Components of the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, and the Marines have rotated through the island working to build the road. The military completed its work on the project in 2007. The project is the result of a 50-year old treaty promising the Metlakatla Indian Community a road connecting their ocean-side city to Alaska's inside passage, to allow year-round ferry service to Ketchikan.
Geography
Metlakatla is located at 55°7′37"N 131°34′35"W (55.126916, -131.576393). It is on the Port Chester harbor, on Annette IslandAnnette Island
Annette Island, or Taak'w Aan, is an island in Gravina Islands of the Alexander Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean on the southeastern coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is at . It is about long and about wide. The land area is...
, about 25 km (15.5 mi) south of 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....
.
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 CDP has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), of which, 2.3 square miles (6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.85%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375 people, 469 households, and 338 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 593.4 people per square mile (228.8/km²). There were 531 housing units at an average density of 229.2/sq mi (88.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 9.53% 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...
, 0.22% Black
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 African 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...
, 81.82% 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...
, 0.07% 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...
, 0.51% 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 7.85% from two or more races. 1.82% 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 469 households out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.50.
In the CDP the age distribution of the population shows 33.1% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $43,516, and the median income for a family was $49,671. Males had a median income of $36,696 versus $22,292 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 CDP was $16,140. About 7.7% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1940 | 700 |
| 1960 | 800 |
| 1970 | 1,100 |
| 1980 | 1,100 |
| 1990 | 1,400 |
| 2000 | 1,375 |