Kowee Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kowee Creek |
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USGS Bulletin map, 1906
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| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | near Mount Troy, Douglas Island |
| River mouth | Gastineau Channel 0 ft (0 m) |
Kowee Creek is a stream on Douglas Island in Juneau, Alaska, in the United States. It starts near Mount Troy and flows north into Gastineau Channel. The creek is about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) southwest of the main city of Juneau. Kowee Creek is nearly 10 miles (16 km) long. It has a drainage basin (the area of land where all the water drains into the creek) of about 50 square miles (130 km2). It also has two smaller streams that flow into it.
The Name of Kowee Creek
This creek is named after Chief Kowee. He was an important leader of the Auke people (a group of Tlingit people) in the late 1800s. Chief Kowee is famous for helping Joe Juneau and Richard Harris find gold at Quartz Gulch in 1880. This discovery led to the founding of the city of Juneau!
Chief Kowee had a summer home right at the mouth of the creek. Early miners in the Juneau area spelled the creek's name as "Kow-eeh" or "Kowie". When the United States Geological Survey (a group that maps the land) mapped the area in 1903, they spelled it "Cowee". The official spelling was finally decided by the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1964. It was added to the Geographic Names Information System on January 1, 2000.
History and Use
Besides Chief Kowee using the area, other Tlingit people also hunted and trapped throughout the Douglas Island area. They used the land from Kowee Creek all the way to Point Hilda.
Wildlife and Nature
You can find Dolly Varden trout in Kowee Creek. In the past, there was also a hatchery here for pink and chum salmon. A hatchery is a place where young fish are raised before being released into the wild. The University of Alaska Southeast also had a research facility at the creek. Today, fishing for salmon in Kowee Creek is not allowed.
Exploring the Area
A trail runs near Kowee Creek for about 3.3 miles (5.3 km). This trail leads to the Dan Moller Cabin, which is a popular spot for hikers.
