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Haines City Information
Overview
Haines is a very scenic little town tucked away
between the Chilkat Mountains on the shores of a
long fjord. It is famous for the large
concentration of Bald Eagles that gather in the
Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve every fall, and for
excellent bird viewing opportunities in general.
The Disney movie White Fang was filmed in Haines
Attractions
Fort William H. Seward:
Established as a result of a border dispute with
Canada, Fort William H. Seward was named after
the man who negotiated the purchase of Alaska
from the Russians. The Fort was declared a
Historic Landmark in 1972. Decommissioned in
1947, five former veterans purchased the Fort
with plans to make it an arts and crafts area of
the community.
The Hammer Museum:
A collection of more than 1500 different
hammers.
Sheldon Museum and Cultural
Center: Artifacts depict the history of
Tlingit culture and history, the pioneer history
of the region and the military era of Fort
William H. Seward.
Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle
Preserve: More than 3,000 eagles come into
the Preserve every fall, with the highest
concentration usually found in mid-November. The
preserve was created by the State of Alaska in
1982 to protect the world's largest
concentration of Bald Eagles and their critical
habitat.
History
The Tlingit Indians were
the first people to inhabit the Chilkat Valley.
Haines is home of the Chilkat Indians whose
mother village is Klukwan, 22 miles north of
Haines.
Haines was named in honor
of Francina Haines of the Presbyterian Home
Missions Board.
In 1741, the first known
meeting between white men and Tlingit took place
when a Russian ship anchored near Haines and
started the fur trade in the area. In 1892, Jack
Dalton established a toll road on the Tlingit
trade route in to the interior to cash in on
gold-seekers and others heading north into
Canada. Parts of the Dalton Trail are now the
Haines Highway.
In 1902, ongoing border disputes between the
U.S. and Canada caused the construction of the
first permanent army post in Alaska. The white
buildings of Fort William H. Seward still stand
and are a distinctive landmark of Haines.
Decommissioned in 1947, the fort was bought by a
group of war veterans hoping to establish an
arts and commerce community. The buildings are
now privately owned and house homes,
restaurants, galleries, and shops.
Other Information
Population: 2,400
Location: Haines is
located on the western shore of Lynn
Canal, between the Chilkoot and
Chilkat Rivers. It is 80 miles
northwest of Juneau, just south of
the Canadian border of British
Columbia.
Access: By road via
the Haines Highway which connects
with the Alaska Highway at Haines
Junction, Yukon, Canada, 155 miles
north of Haines. Alaska Marine
Highway ferry system;
occasional cruise ship. Scheduled
air taxi service from Juneau,
Skagway and Whitehorse.
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