A Short History of Juneau

Long before European settlement in the Americas, the Gastineau Channel was a favorite fishing ground for local Tlingit Indians. 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 October 18, 1880, two men, Harris and Juneau, marked a 160-acre town site where soon a mining camp was erected. 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, named 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.