Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is a city of 8,078 people in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, founded in August 25, 1900.
Why visit Ketchikan
Townapedia lists 16 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 38 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Ketchikan Coliseum Theater, Stedman-Thomas Historic District and Totem Heritage Center.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 67°F; January lows average 32°F.
Weather in Ketchikan
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ketchikan
Ketchikan ( KETCH-ih-kan; Tlingit: Kichx̱áan, pronounced [kʰɪt͡ʃʰχáːn]) is a city in and the borough seat of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough on Revillagigedo Island of Alaska. It is the state's southeasternmost major settlement. Downtown Ketchikan is a National Historic Landmark District.
From the Wikipedia article Ketchikan, Alaska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Ketchikan Coliseum Theater
Cinema and theater · 1.6 mi
405 Mission Street, Ketchikan
Museums and landmarks16
Stedman-Thomas Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Historic district in Alaska, United States
Totem Heritage Center
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Museum in Ketchikan, Alaska, US
601 Deermount Street, Ketchikan
Burkhart-Dibrell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic house in Alaska, United States
Creek Street
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic area of Ketchikan, Alaska
Downtown Ketchikan Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic district in Ketchikan, Alaska
Gilmore Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Building in Ketchikan, United States of America
Ketchikan Ranger House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Building in Alaska, United States
The Star
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic building in Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
Walker-Broderick House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Ketchikan, Alaska, listed on the NRHP in Ketchikan Gateway Borough
Ziegler House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic house in Alaska, United States
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Ketchikan Federal Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Tongass Historical Museum
Museum · 1.6 mi
629 Dock Street, Ketchikan
May-Sep 08:00-17:00; Oct-Apr Tu-Sa 13:00-17:00
4 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Restaurants and cafes38
Jellyfish Donuts
Restaurant · Donut · 1.2 mi
910 Water Street
Tu-Fr 07:00-17:00; Mo 07:00-16:00; Sa 08:00-16:00; Su 00:00-24:00
First City Saloon
Bar and pub · 1.2 mi
830 Water Street
Su-Fr 09:00-02:00; Sa 16:00-02:00
26 more on the map.
History
Ketchikan Creek served as a summer fish camp for Tlingit natives for many years before the town was established by Mike Martin in 1885. He was sent to the area by an Oregon canning company to assess prospects. He established the saltery Clark & Martin and a general store with Nova Scotia native George Clark, who had been foreman at a cannery that burned down.
Ketchikan became known as "Alaska's first city" due to its strategic position at the southern tip of the Inside Passage, connecting the Gulf of Alaska to Puget Sound.
In 1905 a mission house was built, which in 1909 became the Yates Memorial Hospital. In 2020, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the former hospital as one of America's most endangered historic places.
From the History section of Ketchikan, Alaska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
The Ketch Inn & Marina - rebranded from Edgewater Inn
Motel and hotel · 2.0 mi
4871 North Tongass Highway
The Landing Best Western & Sunny Point Conference Center
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
Churches and places of worship8
First Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 0.4 mi
3200 Fairview Avenue, Ketchikan
Shopping14
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries16
Tongass Arts and Science Charter School
School · 1.5 mi
410 Schoenbar Road, Suite 202;Schoenbar Road, Suite 201, Ketchikan
Tongass School of Arts And Sciences Charter School
School · 1.5 mi
410 Schoenbar Rd, Ketchikan
Healthcare4
Peace Health Ketchikan Medical Ceneter
Hospital · 0.5 mi
3100 Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan
Map of Ketchikan
122 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 32°F | 17.6 in |
| Feb | 41°F | 33°F | 11.1 in |
| Mar | 45°F | 35°F | 12.6 in |
| Apr | 52°F | 39°F | 9.5 in |
| May | 59°F | 45°F | 7.2 in |
| Jun | 64°F | 50°F | 5.9 in |
| Jul | 66°F | 54°F | 6.5 in |
| Aug | 67°F | 54°F | 11.2 in |
| Sep | 60°F | 50°F | 17.7 in |
| Oct | 52°F | 43°F | 19.1 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 37°F | 19.5 in |
| Dec | 40°F | 33°F | 19.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Beaver Falls (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Ketchikan Gateway Borough has had 3 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2024-11-13: Landslides (Mud/Landslide)
- 2020-04-09: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ketchikan Harbor Seaplane Base (WFB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Saxman 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Metlakatla 17 mi south, about 28 min by car
- Thorne Bay 40 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Hydaburg 46 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Ketchikan Alaska, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ketchikan, Alaska - panoramio (28), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0001 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0002 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0015 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- Hoadley Creek, Ketchikan, Jsayre64, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0003 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- Ketchikan, Alaska - panoramio (44), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0013 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0012 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0004 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0024 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- Ketchikan, Alaska - panoramio (53), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0022 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0023 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0021 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0020 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- Ketchikan, Alaska - panoramio (17), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0019 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0018 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0011 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0010 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0009 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0008 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0007 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- 20240827 Ketchikan Landslide Clearing Activity on 3rd Avenue by Travis Watkins Alaska DOT&PF 0006 V, Alaska DOT&PF, CC BY 2.0
- Ketchikan, Alaska - panoramio (24), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Ketchikan, Alaska - Bald Eagles - panoramio (1), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Potlatch Tavern, Ketchikan, Alaska, brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0
- THCTotems, Ketchikanadian, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First lutheran church ketchikan, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- The Star, Leonard Kaplan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ketchikan Ranger District Employee House, 1joymuse1, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Burkhart dibrell house, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Ziegler house ketchikan, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Gilmore Building from Tongass Narrows, Alaska, Wknight94, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Walker broderick house, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Creek Street(js)06, Jerzystrzelecki, CC BY 3.0
- Ketchikan Federal Building, Alaska, Wknight94, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hoadley Creek, AK, Jsayre64, CC BY-SA 3.0
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