Introduction to Juneau, Alaska
Juneau, the capital of the State of Alaska, is located on the Gastineau Channel on the Alexander Archipelago of southeastern Alaska. Juneau is roughly 890 miles northwest of Seattle, Washington and 560 miles southeast of Anchorage. The area of Juneau is almost as large as the states of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.
Juneau is organized into two districts. District 1 consists of the Downtown Juneau, Salmon Creek, Lemon Creek, Switzer Creek, Juneau International Airport, and Douglas Island precincts. District 2 consists of the Mendenhall Valley, Auke Bay, Fritz Cove, and Lynn Canal precincts.
Main access to Juneau is by sea or air. Juneau is served by the Juneau International Airport (JNU) which has one runway and one seaplane landing area. Juneau is also served by the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS), a ferry service operated by the government of the U.S. state of Alaska for communities in Southeastern Alaska that have no road access. Juneau's harbor is also a port of call for cruise ships.
Prior to European settlement, the area now occupied by Juneau was inhabited by Tlingit Indians, known as the Auke and Taku tribes. The area was a favorite fishing ground of the Indians. In 1880, the site of Juneau was founded as a mining camp by Joe Juneau and Richard Harris. The town was originally called Harrisburg, after Richard Harris. Subsequently the name was changed to Rockwell. The name was last changed to Juneau in 1881. Juneau became the City and Borough of Juneau in 1970 when the City of Juneau merged with the City of Douglas and the surrounding borough to form the current municipality
Juneau Points of Interest
Juneau is located within some of the most breath taking geography including grand mountain peaks and the pristine waterfront of the Gastineau Channel. Opportunities for outdoor activities abound including unparalleled glacier viewing from Tracy Arm Fjord, Mendenhall Glacier, the Juneau Icefield and Glacier Bay National Park. In addition, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy kayaking, dogsledding, rafting, biking, hiking and glacier hiking. In the winter individuals can enjoy snowboarding and downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and heli-skiing.
For fishermen there is abundant salmon and halibut fishing only minutes from downtown Juneau. Wilderness cabins and fishing lodges are also available to cater to fishermen seeking a remote Alaska fishing experience.
For arts and entertainment, Juneau hosts the annual Alaska Folk Festival and Juneau Jazz & Classics music festivals, and is also home to Perseverance Theatre, Alaska's only professional theater. Other arts and entertainment attractions include:
- The Alaska State Museum
- The Juneau - Douglas City Museum
- The Juneau Lyric Opera
- The Juneau Symphony
- The Last Chance Mining Museum & Historical Park
- Opera to Go
