Additional Information pages for Prince of Wales Island

131° 35' W Longitude - 55° 19' N Latitude
Saxman is located on the west side of Revillagigedo Island, 3 miles south of Ketchikan on the South Tongass Highway.

Climate:
Saxman lies in the maritime climate zone noted for its warm winters, cool summers, and heavy precipitation. Average summer temperatures range from 46 to 59 degrees Far. amd from 29 to 48 degrees Far. in winter. The record high temperature is 97 degrees Far; the record low is -4 Far. Precipitation averages 163 inches per year, including 69 inches of snow.

History:
In 1886, Tlingits from the old villages of Tongass and Cape Fox wanted a new site to construct a central BIA school and Presbyterian Church. The village subsequently was named for Samuel Saxman, a Presbyterian teacher who was lost at sea with a Cape Fox elder while searching for the new site. By 1894, the new village site was chosen, ideally located on a protected harbor off the Tongass Narrows. A small sawmill was built and construction of the school and houses began immediately. Fishing and cutting lumber for the growing towns of Saxman and Ketchikan were the economic mainstays of the new village. By 1900, 142 people were living in Saxman. In 1929, the community incorporated as a City. During the 1930s, many totem poles and ceremonial artifacts, such as carvings and masks, were retrieved by the Civilian Conservation Corps from the abandoned villages at Cape Fox, Tongass, Cat Island and Pennock Island. Totem poles were restored and relocated to Saxman as part of a U.S. Forest Service program. A rail-barge terminal at the Saxman Seaport was completed in 1967; it serves as the Ketchikan's major cargo container terminal.
Today, most residents are Tlingit and lead a subsistence lifestyle. A developed totem pole carving center is fostering traditional skills and providing tourism opportunities.  Most employment is in Ketchikan at the State ferry, fish processing, service industries and government. The City and Saxman Seaport provide some employment, and the local Corporation offers tourist- and timber-related employment. Commercial and subsistence fishing activities are prevalent and deer, salmon and halibut significantly contribute to residents' diets.

Point of interest:
The Saxman Totem Park:
The Park includes a tribal house, a carving center, and a cultural hall for traditional Tlingit dance exhibitions.  Guided tours available.