What is Juneau, Alaska?

Juneau, Alaska
Seal
Location in Juneau City and Borough, Alaska Location in Juneau City and Borough, Alaska
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Founded	1881
Incorporated	1890
Government
- Mayor	Bruce Botelho
Area
- City and borough	3,255.0 sq mi (8430.4 km)
- Land	2,715.7 sq mi (7036.1 km)
- Water	539.3 sq mi (1394.3 km)
Elevation	56 ft (0 m)
Population (2005)[1]
- City and borough	30,987
- Density	11.3/sq mi (0/km)
Time zone	AKST (UTC-9)
- Summer (DST)	AKDT (UTC-8)
Area code(s)	907
FIPS code	02-36400
GNIS feature ID	1404263
Website: [1]

The City and Borough of Juneau (pronounced [ˈdʒu.noʊ]) is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel on the Alexander Archipelago of Alaska. Juneau is the capital of the U.S. state of Alaska. The municipality unified in 1970 when the City of Juneau merged with the City of Douglas and the surrounding borough to form the current home rule municipality.

The area of Juneau is larger than that of Rhode Island or Delaware and almost as large as the two states combined. Juneau is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau and across the channel from Douglas Island. As of the 2000 census, the City and Borough had a population of 30,711. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 population estimate for the City and Borough was 30,987.^[1] Juneau's only power utility is Alaska Electric Light & Power.

Juneau was named after gold prospector Joe Juneau, though the place was for a time called Rockwell and then Harrisburg (after Juneau's co-prospector, Richard Harris—several books credit the Tlingit Chief Kowee with showing these prospectors where the gold was). The Tlingit name of the town is Dzántik'i Héeni "river where the flounders gather", and Auke Bay just north of Juneau proper is called Aak'w "little lake" in Tlingit. The Taku River, just south of Juneau, was named after the cold t'aakh wind, which occasionally blows down from the mountains. Downtown Juneau sits at sea level, with tides averaging 16 feet, below steep mountains about 3,500 to 4,000 feet high. Atop these mountains is the Juneau Ice Cap, a large ice mass from which about 30 glaciers flow; one of these, the Mendenhall Glacier, is visible from the local road system; this glacier has been generally retreating; its front face is declining both in width and height.

The current Alaska State Capitol is an office building in downtown Juneau, originally built as the Federal and Territorial Building in 1931. Originally housing federal government offices, the federal courthouse, and a post office, it became the home of the Alaska Legislature and the offices for the governor of Alaska and lieutenant governor of Alaska. There have been subsequent discussions regarding building a new capitol building, without significant development.

Geography and climate

Juneau is located at (58.351422, -134.511579).^GR1 According to the Koppen Classification, Juneau has an oceanic climate, just cooler than Seattle and Vancouver.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 8,430.4 km² (3,255.0 mi²), making it the second-largest municipality in the United States by area (the largest is Sitka, Alaska). 7,036.1 km² (2,716.7 mi²) of it is land and 1,394.3 km² (538.3 mi²) of it (16.54%) is water.

• Average annual rainfall ranges from 55 inches to over 90 inches (1400 to over 2300 mm) depending on location.http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/forest_facts/safety/tnf_weth.htm; annual average snowfall is 101 inches (257 cm).
• The average high temperature in July is 65°F (18°C), and the average low temperature in January is 20°F (-4°C).

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rec High °F	57	57	61	74	82	86	90	84	73	61	56	54
Norm High °F	30.6	34.3	39.5	48.1	55.7	61.6	64.3	63.1	56.1	46.9	37.6	33
Norm Low °F	20.7	23.5	27.8	33.4	40.1	46.1	49.2	48.3	43.8	37.7	28.9	24.4
Rec Low °F	-22	-22	-15	6	25	31	36	27	23	11	-5	-21
Precip (in)	4.81	4.02	3.51	2.96	3.48	3.36	4.14	5.37	7.54	8.3	5.43	5.41
Source: USTravelWeather.com [2]

Adjacent boroughs and census areas

• Haines Borough, Alaska - north
• Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska - south and west

Border area

Juneau, Alaska, shares its eastern border with the Canadian province of British Columbia.

• Stikine Region, British Columbia

History

Long before European settlement in the Americas, the Gastineau Channel was a favorite fishing ground for local Tlingit Indians, known then as the Auke and Taku tribes, who had inhabited the surrounding area for thousands of years. The native cultures are rich with artistic traditions including carving, weaving, orating, singing and dancing, and Juneau has become a major social center for the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian of Southeast Alaska.

In 1880, Sitka mining engineer George Pilz offered a reward to any local chief who could lead him to gold-bearing ore. Chief Kowee arrived with some ore and several prospectors were sent to investigate. On their first trip, to Gold Creek, they found little deposits of interest. However, at Chief Kowee's urging Pilz sent Joe Juneau and Richard Harris back to the Gastineau Channel, directing them to Snow Slide Gulch (the head of Gold Creek) where they found nuggets "as large as peas and beans," in Harris' words.

On October 18, 1880, the two men marked a 160-acre (0.6 km²) town site where soon a mining camp appeared. Within a year, the camp became a small town, the first to be founded after Alaska's purchase by the United States.

The town was originally called Harrisburg, after Richard Harris; some time later, its name was changed to Rockwell. In 1881, the miners met and renamed the town Juneau, after Joe Juneau. In 1906, after the diminution of the whaling and fur trade, Sitka, the original capital of Alaska, declined in importance and the seat of government was moved to Juneau.

In 1954, Alaskans passed a measure to move the capital north. Robert Atwood, then publisher of the Anchorage Daily News and an Anchorage 'booster,' was an early leader in capital move efforts—efforts which many in Juneau and Fairbanks resisted. One provision required the new capital to be at least 30 miles from Anchorage and Fairbanks, to prevent either city from having undue influence. In the end Juneau remained the capital. In the 1970s, voters passed a plan to move the capital to Willow, a town 70 miles north of Anchorage. But pro-Juneau people there and in Fairbanks got voter to also approve a measure (the FRANK Initiative) requiring voter approval of all bondable construction costs before building could begin. Alaskans later voted against spending the estimated $900 million. A 1984 "ultimate" capital-move vote also failed, as did a 1996 vote.

Alaskans thus several times voted on moving their capital, but Juneau remains the capital. [3]. Once Alaska was granted statehood in 1959, Juneau grew with the growth of state government. Growth accelerated remarkably after the construction of the Alaska Pipeline in 1977, state budget flush with oil revenues; Juneau expanded for a time due to growth in state government jobs, but that growth slowed considerably in the 1980s.^[2] The state demographer expects the borough to grow very slowly over the next twenty years.^[3] Cruise ship tourism rocketed upward from about 230,000 passengers in 1990 to nearly 1,000,000 in 2006 as cruise lines built more and larger ships—even 'mega-ships', sailing to Juneau seven days a week instead of six, over a longer season, but this primarily summer industry provides few year-round jobs.

Juneau is larger in area than the state of Delaware and was, for many years, the country's largest city by area. Juneau continues to be the only U.S. state capital located on an international border: it is bordered on the east by Canada.

Transportation

Juneau is only accessible via sea or air; (cars and trucks being transported by barge or ferry). The State-owned ferry is called the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) to indicate that water is a transportation system. Approximately one million passengers arrive each summer on cruise ships. About 40 miles of paved road provide the only local transportation by vehicle. There are more vehicles in the city than there are people; many here also own light planes, float planes, and boats. Local government operates Capital Transit, a bus service. A few taxicab companies provide service. Tour buses take cruise ship visitors and other visitors to popular sights and on excursions.

The only airport in town is Juneau International Airport. Alaska Airlines is now the sole local commercial jet passenger operator (Western, successor Delta, and start-up MarkAir no longer are in business). The company provides service to Anchorage, Fairbanks, and many small communities in the state. One of the main cities most Juneau residents travel to is Seattle. Barge companies (one of the main ones is Alaska Marine Lines) transport heavy freight. Other freight arrives via the ferries or via Alaska Airlines.

Some air carriers provide U.S. mail service. A few hardy Juneauites bicycle daily, even in inclement weather. (Rain and snow are common as the area is a rainforest.) Other residents walk, hike, or ride bicycles recreationally. A study has been conducted to make Juneau a more walkable area. Trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and all terrain vehicles are popular.

Avalanche hazards, steep slopes, cold weather, environmental protection concerns are factors that make road construction and maintenance difficult and costly. Juneau's roads remain separate from other roads in Alaska and in the Lower 48. The State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities by press release of August 10, 2005, announced a partial road and fast ferry connection — East Lynn Canal Highway to the Katzehin River with shuttles to Haines and Skagway. [4] Local opinions on building the road are mixed. Some say the road is a needed link between Juneau and the rest of Alaska. Others have concerns about environmental, social, and economic impacts that would be felt. Construction was scheduled to begin as soon as sometime in 2007 on this 65-mile-long road, however permits have not been granted for a 16-mile section where the road would traverse a Land Use Designation (LUD) II area in Berner's Bay. The LUD area currently has national protection as a wilderness area. This road plan, announced under out-going Governor Frank Murkowski, was withdrawn by Governor Sarah Palin promptly after taking office in December 2006.

A very popular destination is Mendenhall Glacier. A bridge connects Douglas Island with the rest of Juneau, and there are about five places where roads end. Float planes and helicopters offer glacier tours in summer. Dog sled rides are often given to tourists landing on the glaciers or ice caps. Other companies offer boat rides. One of the signature places in Juneau is The Mount Roberts Tramway, an aerial tramway stretching from a station on the cruise ship docks to a point on the southwestern ridge of Mount Roberts. A rare legend concerning the aerial tram is that a local resident once fell without injury from the tram when it came to a stop. This prompted local authorities to review the safety of this form of transportation.

Districts

Two districts have been defined by the Assembly of the City and Borough of Juneau:

District 1 precinct Downtown Juneau Salmon Creek Lemon Creek Switzer Creek Juneau International Airport Douglas Island

District 2 precincts Mendenhall Valley Auke Bay Fritz Cove Lynn Canal

People and culture

Demographics

As of the 2000 census^GR2, there were 30,700 people, 11,500 households, and 7,600 families residing in Juneau. The population density was 4.4/km² (11.3/mi²). There were 12,300 housing units at an average density of 1.7/km² (4.5/mi²). By race Juneau was 75% White, 11% Native American, 5% Asian, 0.8% Black, 0.4% Pacific Islander, and 3% Hispanic or Latino of any race. One percent belonged to other races, and 7% to two or more races. 2.61% reported speaking Tagalog at home, while 2.38% speak Spanish and 1.07% Tlingit [5].

There were 11,500 households out of which 37% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51% were married couples living together, 11% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34% were non-families. 24% of all households were made up of individuals and 4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.1.

In the borough, the population was spread out with 27% under the age of 18, 8% from 18 to 24, 33% from 25 to 44, 26% from 45 to 64, and 6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 102 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $62,000, and the median income for a family was $70,300. Males had a median income of $46,700 versus $33,200 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,700. 6% of the population and 4% of families were below the poverty line. 7% of those under the age of 18 and 4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Politically, Juneau is more liberal than the rest of the state. In the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, downtown Juneau was the only election district in the state carried by the Democrat candidate.

Arts and entertainment

Juneau is home to Perseverance Theatre, Alaska's only professional theater. The area hosts the annual Alaska Folk Festival and Juneau Jazz & Classics music festivals, and the Juneau Symphony performs regularly. Downtown Juneau boasts dozens of art galleries, which participate in the monthly First Friday Gallery Walk and the enormously popular December Gallery Walk held in the first week of December. The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council coordinates events while fund-raising, distributing some grant money, and operating a gallery at its office near 2nd Street and Franklin Street. On summer Friday evenings open-air music and dance performances are held at Marine Park. The University of Alaska Southeast Campus also offers lectures, concerts, and theater performances.

The Juneau Lyric Opera and Opera to Go are the two local opera companies. JLO produces operas in English and Italian and sponsors two annual choral workshop festivals, as well as the touring group the "3 Tenors from Juneau."

Some Juneau artists include violinists Linda and Paul Rosenthal, sopranos Kathleen Wayne and Joyce Parry Moore, bass John d'Armand, baritones Philippe Damerval and David Miller, tenors Jay Query, Brett Crawford and Dan Wayne, indie rocker Rory Merritt Stitt, folk musician Buddy Tabor, playwright Robert Bruce "Bo" Anderson, and painters David Woodie, Barbara Craver, Rie Muñoz, and Herb Bonnet. Photographer Ron Klein is a past president of the International Association of Panoramic Photographers.

Media

Juneau's only daily newspaper is the Juneau Empire; however there is also a regional weekly newspaper, the Capital City Weekly. Juneau-Douglas High School has The Ego and the Alterego, a monthly magazine, and the University of Alaska Southeast has The Whalesong, a college newspaper.

Juneau is also served by television and radio. Juneau's major television affiliates are KTOO (PBS), KATH-LP (NBC/UPN) and KJUD (ABC)-(KIMO retransmission).

Leading radio stations include AM Stations KJNO 630 and KINY 800. FM Stations include recently expanded public radio station KTOO 104.3, KXLL "Excellent Radio" 100.7 and KRNN "Rain Country Radio" 102.7(both operated by KTOO), but also include country music station KTKU 105.1 ("Taku 105"), KSUP 106.3, and the freeform LPFM station KBJZ 94.1.

Additionally the offices of CoastAlaska, a regional public radio station consortium, are located in Juneau. AP (the Associated Press), Anchorage news outlets, and other Alaska media entities send reporters to Juneau during the annual Legislative session.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Juneau is served by the Juneau School District and includes the following schools:

Gastineau Elementary School Harborview Elementary School Riverbend Elementary School Mendenhall River Elementary School Glacier Valley Elementary School Auke Bay Elementary School Juneau Community Charter School

Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School Floyd Dryden Middle School Juneau-Douglas High School Thunder Mountain High School (to open in 2008) Yaaḵoosgé Daakahídi Alternative High School HomeBRIDGE (homeschooling program)

In addition, the following private schools also serves Juneau:

• (Glacier) Valley Baptist Academy
• Thunder Mountain Academy

Colleges and universities

Juneau is the home of the following institute of higher education:

• University of Alaska Southeast

Trivia

• A large sculpture featuring bronze statue pelicans stands in front of the Federal Building in Juneau. Pelicans are not indigenous to the State of Alaska; the proper artwork (an eagle) was delivered to Florida by mistake.
• In 2005, the cruise ship industry was estimated to bring nearly one million visitors to Juneau^[4]
• Juneau was the 49th most lucrative U.S. fisheries port by volume and 45th by value taking in 15 million pounds of fish and shellfish valued at 21.5 million dollars in 2004 according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
• Juneau has an area nearly equal to that of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which itself contains 78 cities and has over 100 times Juneau's population.
• Juneau is one of only five state capitals not served by an interstate highway. Dover, Delaware; Jefferson City, Missouri; Carson City, Nevada; and Pierre, South Dakota, are the other four state capitals with this distinction.
• A "Juneau body" is a humorous reference to an automobile with a rusted out undercarriage. Juneau is infamous not only for its impressive precipitation, but also for Alaska Department of Transportation's propensity to salt the ice-covered roads.

See also

• List of mayors of Juneau, Alaska
• Out the road
• Thane, Alaska
• Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park
• Evergreen Cemetery (Juneau, Alaska)

References

• Andrews, C.L. (1944). The Story of Alaska. The Caxton Printers, Ltd., Caldwell, OH. 
• Naske, Claus-M and Herman E. Slotnick (1987). Alaska: A History of the 49th State. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK. ISBN 0-8061-2099-1.