Taku Harbor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taku Harbor
S'iknáx̱saankʼi
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Seasonal community
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Taku Harbor: public dock & cannery ruins.
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 Taku Harbor
Location in Alaska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Juneau |
| Population
(1880)--No year-round residents since 1980s--
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| • Total | 269 |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
Taku Harbor (in the Lingít tongue, S'iknáx̱saankʼi) is a calm bay located about 22 miles (35 km) southeast of Juneau, Alaska. This area was once a very important trading spot.
It was used by the Taku people, a trading post for the Hudson's Bay Company, and a place where salmon were canned. Today, most of the harbor is part of the Taku Harbor State Marine Park. No one lives there all year round anymore.
Contents
Exploring Taku Harbor's Past
The Taku Tlingit People
Taku Harbor gets its name from the Taku Tlingit people. This area is part of their traditional lands, which stretch far inland into what is now British Columbia, Canada. The Tlingit used Taku Harbor and nearby areas for fishing, hunting, and trapping animals.
You can still find ancient rock carvings, called petroglyphs, south of the harbor's entrance. These carvings were likely made by the Tlingit people about 8,000 years ago.
In the 1800s, many Taku Tlingit moved closer to the harbor to trade. They even built a village called Sik'nax̱sáani in Taku Harbor, which had two large tribal houses.
When gold mines opened in nearby Juneau, some Taku Tlingit moved away from the harbor. However, a community stayed and helped with the big salmon fishing and canning businesses. A cemetery from the old Tlingit village can still be seen near the largest creek in the harbor.
Fort Durham: A Trading Post
In 1840, the Hudson's Bay Company built a trading post called Fort Durham in Taku Harbor. This was done through an agreement with another company, the Russian American Company. The fort was located on the northern side of the harbor.
It was a square fort, 150 feet (46 meters) on each side, with tall wooden walls and two eight-sided towers. This spot is now a special historic place called a National Historic Landmark.
The trading post allowed the Hudson's Bay Company to trade directly with the Taku Tlingit. The Tlingit also helped them trade with other tribes further inland. Many different people worked at the fort, including French Canadians, Hawaiians, and Native Alaskans. Some people were forced to work there.
Fort Durham didn't make as much money as expected, so it closed in 1843. After it closed, the community of Taku Tlingit who lived near the fort stayed for a while. In 1880, a count showed 269 people living there. Over time, the fort and the community area became covered by forest again, and there's not much left to see of its past.
Salmon Canning in Taku Harbor
In the late 1800s, the San Juan Fishing & Packing Company started processing salmon in Taku Harbor. This happened on the northwestern side of the harbor.
In 1901, the company sold its operations to the Pacific Cold Storage Company. This company built Alaska's very first cold-storage plant right there!
Later, the facility was rented out and then sold to the John L. Carlson Company. In 1918, a big company called Libby, McNeil, and Libby bought the cannery. They ran and expanded the facility, even after large fires in 1919 and 1931. The cannery and cold storage finally closed in 1947, and parts of it were taken apart.
Taku Harbor State Marine Park
Today, Taku Harbor is mostly part of the Taku Harbor State Marine Park. This park helps protect the natural beauty and history of the area. It's a great place for people to visit and enjoy the outdoors.
