Population: 89

Kasaan is located at the head of Kasaan Bay on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska.

Kasaan gets its name from the Tlingit word meaning “pretty town.” According to the Alaska Dept. of Commerce, this historic Haida community was originally Tlingit territory, until Haidas “migrated north from Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands) in the early 1700s and established the village now known as Old Kasaan. Between 1892 and 1900, the Copper Queen mine, camp, saw- mill, post office, and general store were built by a group of businessmen on Kasaan Bay, and the Haida people relocated to this new village. The copper mine went bankrupt after 4 years, but in 1902 the first salmon cannery was constructed.” The cannery operated sporadically until 1953. “Chief Son-i-Hat built the Whale House during the 1880s, a traditional clan house which became the focus of the new Kasaan Totem Park. Many of the totems left from the old village site were moved to the park in 1938. Kavilco, Inc., the local village corporation, purchased the old cannery buildings and property in 1974. Organized Village of Kasaan, a federally recognized tribe, was formed in Kasaan in 1938. The City of Kasaan was incorporated in 1976.”

The historic Prince of Wales Island Haida village of Kasaan is located at the end of a 17-mile gravel road off of the road to Thorne Bay. Cabin rentals, Totem Trail Café and tribal tours are available. For more information phone 907-542-2230; visit www.kasaan.org.