Alaska

Nestled against the slopes of Mount Juneau and Mount Roberts, Juneau grew in lockstep with Alaskan expeditions to be the resilient, unexpected capitol it is today.

Juneau has not always been the capital of Alaska. In fact, Juneau has not always been Juneau. But the place nestled against the slopes of Mount Juneau and Mount Roberts, originally named Dzantik'i Heeni, has always been picturesque and welcoming. After a successful strike triggered nearby mining claims in the 1880s, a makeshift camp grew on the waterfront to serve the needs of adventurers and gold-seekers. As numbers increased, the settlement was called Rockville, then Harrisburg, and finally named after Joe Juneau, one of the prospectors who, guided and advised by Tlingit leader Kowee, had made the original strike. In spite of efforts to move the capital to a central location, Juneau has remained Alaska's capital since 1906 and continues to invite settlers, adventurers, and explorers to visit and appreciate its beautiful setting and rich history.

Welcome to Alaska! Parent and child moose tour Alaska in best-selling author-illustrator Martha Day Zschock's Hello! board book series for children. In Hello, Alaska! join the pair as they ride a tram in Juneau, enjoy a train ride in the wilderness, go dog sledding, and see a glacier. Along the way they also spy wildlife like sea otters, whales and Arctic fox, hike in the tundra, watch salmon jump upstream, visit Denali, and spend the night in a cozy cabin! For ages 2-5. Made in the USA.

Wrangell is named after Baron Ferdinand von Wrangell of the Russian American Company, who was charged with extending Russia's fur trade into Southeast Alaska. To that end, he ordered a fort to be established in 1833, on Wrangell Island near the mouth of the Stikine River. The Stikine Tlingit Indians, who were scattered in villages nearby, moved closer to take advantage of fur trading opportunities. In 1839, the fort passed into the hands of the British Hudson's Bay Company. With the purchase of Alaska in 1867, the need was urgent to enforce the United States' presence in its recently acquired territory. An American fort was built, which the US Army occupied during a series of gold rushes, ending with the Klondike Rush in 1898. Wrangell began to grow beyond its boom-and-bust origins during the 20th century, becoming a thriving hub for lumber, fishing, and mining, as well as the newly minted tourist industry.