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Additional Information pages for Prince of Wales Island

133° 05' W Longitude - 55° 33' N Latitude
Located on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island across from Klawock Island. It is 7 miles north of Craig, 24 miles from Hollis, and 56 air miles west of Ketchikan.

History:
Early inhabitants were from Tukekan, a Tlingit winter village to the north. Klawock was used as a summer fishing camp, and has been known as Klawerak, Tlevak, Clevak and Klawak. The history of Klawock is closely tied to the fishing industry. A trading post and salmon saltery were established in 1868, and the first cannery in Alaska was built here by a San Francisco firm in 1878. The subsequent canneries that sprouted in the area were operated under contract with Chinese laborers. A hatchery for red salmon operated at Klawock Lake between 1897 and 1917. In 1929, Klawock incorporated as a City, and a school was constructed. In 1934, Klawock received federal funds under the Wheeler Howard Act to develop a local cannery, on the condition that residents vote to be liquor-free. In 1971 the Alaska Timber Corp. build a sawmill. Soon after, the Klawock-Heenya Village Corp., the Shaan Seet Corp. of Craig, and Sealaska Timber Corp. expanded area facilities with a log sort yard outside of Klawock and a deep-water dock on Klawock Island. The State constructed a salmon hatchery in 1978.
Klawock is a mixed Tlingit and non-Native city.  Most residents pursue a subsistence lifestyle to provide food sources. The community takes great pride in its Totem Park, which displays 21 restored totem poles and replicas from the old village. The Totem Park includes a Heritage Center and Long House. Sale of alcohol is restricted to the City-owned package store.

Additional Information pages for Prince of Wales Island