Excursion Inlet, Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Excursion Inlet, Alaska
Ḵuyeiḵ’ L’e.aan
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Excursion Inlet as viewed from the air
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Location of Excursion Inlet, Alaska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Haines |
| Area | |
| • Total | 56.55 sq mi (146.47 km2) |
| • Land | 56.41 sq mi (146.11 km2) |
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.36 km2) |
| Elevation | 79 ft (24 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 40 |
| • Density | 0.71/sq mi (0.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
| Area code(s) | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-23900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1401951 |
Excursion Inlet (Lingít: Ḵuyeiḵ’ L’e.aan) is a small community in Alaska, a state in the United States. It is located in the Haines Borough, which is like a county. In 2020, only 40 people lived there. This was a big jump from the 12 people who lived there in 2010! It is a quiet place known for its beautiful nature and its history with fishing.
Contents
Where is Excursion Inlet?
Excursion Inlet is found in the southern part of the Haines Borough. It sits on the eastern side of a water body also called Excursion Inlet. This inlet is an arm of the Icy Strait.
The community stretches quite a bit. To the north, it reaches the edge of Glacier Bay National Park. To the south, it goes all the way to where Excursion Inlet meets the wider waters. To the east, it extends to the top of the Chilkat Range mountains.
The total area of Excursion Inlet is about 143.5 square kilometers (55.4 square miles). Most of this area is land, with only a small part being water.
Who Lives in Excursion Inlet?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1940 | 23 | — | |
| 2000 | 10 | — | |
| 2010 | 12 | 20.0% | |
| 2020 | 40 | 233.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Excursion Inlet first appeared in the U.S. Census in 1940. Back then, it was just a small village. It was not counted again until the year 2000. At that time, it was named a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it is a special area set up by the government for counting people.
In 2000, only 10 people lived in Excursion Inlet. There were 8 homes, but only 2 of them were families. Many people lived alone. The average age of people living there was 60 years old. This shows that many older adults chose to live in this quiet community.
A Look at Excursion Inlet's Past
Excursion Inlet has a long and interesting history. It was first a settlement for the Alaska Native people, specifically the Huna Tlingit. Around 1750, these people moved to places like Excursion Inlet. They had to move because glaciers in what is now Glacier Bay National Park were growing and pushing them out of their homes.
The Famous Fish Cannery
Since 1891, Excursion Inlet has been home to a fish cannery. A cannery is a factory where fish are processed and put into cans. The current factory building was built in 1918. It is still working today! This cannery mainly processes pink and chum salmon. It also handles salmon roe (fish eggs), salmon caviar, halibut, and sablefish.
The cannery is located near the mouth of the inlet. It is about 40 miles (64 km) west of Juneau, the capital city of Alaska. The fishing season for the cannery runs from late June to mid-September. The Excursion Inlet Cannery is one of the largest fish canneries in the world. A company called Ocean Beauty Seafoods bought it in 2003.
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Excursion Inlet During World War II
During the early part of World War II, the United States Army built a very large base at Excursion Inlet. This base was a major terminal for barges. Barges are flat-bottomed boats used to carry heavy goods. The terminal was designed to handle large cargo ships from the ocean. It was meant to be a supply base for the Army's efforts to free the Aleutian Islands from Japanese invaders. Thousands of soldiers were supposed to work there.
However, by the time the terminal was finished in late 1943, the fighting in the Aleutian Islands was mostly over. This meant the base did not have a clear purpose anymore. When people found out about the facility in 1945, newspapers called it a waste of money. So, the Army decided to close it down quietly. Later, German prisoners of war were brought in to take the base apart. They salvaged any materials that could still be used. Today, some of the docks and buildings from the old military base were sold to the cannery and are still standing.
See also
In Spanish: Excursion Inlet (Alaska) para niños
