Page Contents for Klawock, Alaska

Statistics & Facts

Location

Weather & Climate

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Economy

Government

Chamber of Commerce.

Organizations, Churches, and Sports.

Schools.

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Statistics & Facts

The Alaska state capital is Juneau.
The population of Klawock is approximately 673 (2000), 755 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 281 (1990), 297 (2010).
The amount of land area in Klawock is 0.903 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0.852 sq kilometers.
The distance from Klawock to Washington DC is 2938 miles.
The distance to the Alaska state capital is 200 miles. (as the crow flies)
Klawock is positioned 55.55 degrees north of the equator and 133.09 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Klawock average annual rainfall is 60-220 inches per year
The average winter temperature is 30's to low 50's degrees F.
The average summer temperature is high 50's to high 70's degrees F.

Location

on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island, in Southeast Alaska about 7 miles north of Craig. Klawock has it all! It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, has snow-capped mountains and there is a rain forest of Sitka Spruce and Hemlock. Klawock is situated at the mouth of the Klawock River. It is located on the main paved highway, 24 miles east of the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry terminal at Hollis. Access is by road, boat or wheel plane. Prince of Wales island is the third largest island in the United States! The two larger islands are Kodiak Island and the big island of Hawaii. To the south of Prince of Wales Island lies British Columbia, Canada. To the west is the Pacific Ocean. The island, itself, is only 140 miles long from north to south and the average width is about 30 miles.
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Climate

cool and moist
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Weather

usually cool and comfortable. Klawock usually has plenty of rain. July is usually the driest month and November the wettest of the year, though every month usually has rain. Here is a Weather page for Klawock.

The tides are important in this area, as they may flucuate as much as 23 feet within only a few hours. Information about the tidal schedules is available in all local areas.
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History & History Related Items

Klawock was originally a Tlingit village. The initial Salmon cannery was established in Klawock in 1878, in effect, beginning the Alaskan Salmon Industry. The company was the North Pcific Packing and Trading Company. They continued to be a major portion of the industry for 51 years. In 1920 R.J. Peratrovich began another cannery in the area with Charles W. Demmert beginning a third cannery in 1924. Neither of these canneries kept the same ownership or had the lasting business as that of the first cannery. In 1999, a community-owned cannery, operated by Southeast Seafoods, is located on the waterfront.

The Alaska Timber Corporation built a sawmill across the river between Klawock and Craig, shipping is first lumber in 1973. Also in 1973, the first airstrip for the area was finished about two miles out of town.

History for Prince of Wales Island:

The island has a long history from at least 8,000 years ago. The Haida lived in the southern third of the island about 300 years ago. The northern portion was inhabited by three Tlingit kwans (or tribes). The Haida and Tlingit people were very different, but both highly developed.

The Europeans first came here in 1775 with the arrival of Don Juan Francisco Bodega 6 Quadra of Spain. Soon after came the British explorers. Captain James Cook and Captain George Vancouver both explored the area in the late 1700's. Vancouver charted much of the area. Wide-spread commercialism did not really begin until the 1800's. The mainstays of that economy were fishing, mining and logging. With the addition of tourism, they remain much the same today. Among the ores mined on the island were gold, silver, zinc, lead uranium and palladium.
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The incorporation of Klawock

1929

Attractions

Elizabeth Peratrovich Celebration - February 16 - Ceremonies & potluck sponsored by the local Alaska Native Brotherhood & Sisterhood

Native Cultural Fair - June each year

Seafest Celebration & Fishing Derby - in July each year.

An interesting display of totem poles may be seen in Totem Park. See displays of original & replica totems from the old village of Tuxekan

Prince of Wales Fish Hatchery - Second oldest hatchery in Alaska - non-profit Association enhances the local salmon runs including Sockeye (reds), Coho (silvers), and Steelhead (sea-going Rainbows) - Open for Tours
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Economy & Industry

The mainstays of the Klawock economy are both Timber and Fishing.
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Klawock City Government

City Of Klawock
609 Summit St
Klawock, AK 99925
Phone: 907-755-2261

Klawock Chamber

Prince of Wales Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 497
Craig, AK 99921
Email Us: powcc@aptalaska.net
Phone: 907-826-3870
Fax: 907-826-5467
Find information for any of the Prince of Wales Communities at the Chamber.

Klawock Organizations

Prince of Wales Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 497
Craig, AK 99921
Email Us: powcc@aptalaska.net
Phone: 907-826-3870
Fax: 907-826-5467
Find information for any of the Prince of Wales Communities at the Chamber.

Klawock Schools

Klawock City Schools
PO Box 9
100 Bayview Blvd.
Klawock, AK 99925
Phone: 907.755.2220 or 2228
Fax: 907.755.2913