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Before the European settlers came the Gastineau Channel was a favorite fishing pond for the Tlingit Indians aka Auke, aka Tau who had been there for thousands of years. They had a rich culture of carving, weaving, orating, singing and dancing and now Juneau has become a major center for the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian of Southeast Alaska.
In 1880 Sitka mining engineer George Pilz offered a reward to any local chief who could him to gold. Chief Kowee gave that ore and prospectors were sent to investigate at Gold Creek. Pilz sent Joe Juneau and Richard Harris back to the Gastineau Channel directing them to Snow Slide Gulch (head of Gold Creek.) They found nuggests as large as beans. On Oct. 18, 1880 the two men marked 160 acres town site and created a mining camp. Within a year the campsite was a mining town, the first to be founded after Alaska's purchase by the U.S.
Originally the town was called Harrisburg, after Richard Harris, but late 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 and the seat of government was moved to Juneau.
In 1954 Alaskans passed a vote to move the capital north. Robert Atwood of the Anchorage Daily News was an early leader in capital move efforts which many in Juneau and Fairbanks resisted. One requirement was the new capital was to be 30 miles from Anchorage and Fairbanks to prevent either city from having undue influence. Juneau remained the capital. In the 1970s voters passed a plan to move the capital to Willow a town 70 miles north of Anchorage. Juneau and Fairbanks got voter to also approve a measure (the 'FRANK' Initiative) requiring voter approval of all bondable construction costs before building could begin Alaskans later voted against spending the $900 million. A 1984 ultimate capital move vote also failed as did in 1996.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
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∙ 16y agoJuneau which was founded in 1880, was designated the territorial capital in 1900 (effective 1906) and the state capital in 1959.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoBecause it was already the Territorial Capital.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoit was the cleanest
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIt had rapidly outgrown Sitka.
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What is the capital of Alaska the state with the highest mountain in all of North America?
The capital of Alaska would be Juneau.
Is there a road that leads to Juneau capital of Alaska?
no
What is the capital of the state known as Seward's Folly?
"Seward's Folly" is a nickname for Alaska. The capital of Alaska is Juneau.
Was there a capital before Juneau?
Kodiak was the original Capital of Russian America and then Sitka, 90 miles southwest of Juneau, became the capital of Russian America in 1808. The territorial capital was moved to Juneau in 1906.
What is alaska's capital city?
Sitka was the capital of what was generally known as the Alaskan territories until 1906, which was when the government moved to Juneau. The land went through several administrative changes until May 11th, 1912, when it became an organized territory. It wan't until January 3rd, 1959 that Alaska became the 49th state of the union.The current capital is Juneau.Kodiak and Sitka and then Juneau.
What was the capital before Juneau?
Kodiak before Sitka and Sitka before Juneau.
Juneau the capital of Alaska?
Juneau is Alaska's remote capital
What is the northernmost US capitol?
Juneau, the capital of Alaska.
Capitol of Alaska?
Juneau is the capital of Alaska, not Anchorage as many people think.
What the capital of juneau?
Juneau is the capital of alaska, so there is no capital.
Has Juneau always been the Capital of Alaska?
Juneau is a city. Juneau is a city in Alaska. Juneau is the capital city of Alaska. Alaska is a state. Alaska is a US State. The US is a Nation. The Capital of the United States is Washington, DC. The residents of Juneau, Alaska are US Citizens. The National Capital for the resident US Citizens of Juneau, Alaska is Washington, DC.
Where is Alaska's capital located?
In Juneau and Juneau is in the Panhandle of Alaska.
Is Kotzebue the capital of Alaska?
No. Juneau is the capital of Alaska.
Is Alberta the capital of Alaska?
No, Juneau is the capital of Alaska.
Is Fairbanks the capital of Alaska?
No. Juneau is the capital of Alaska
What is the capitol of Juneau?
Juneau is the capital of Alaska.
What is the the capital of Alaska?
Juneau is the capital city in Alaska. The city's estimated population was 32,406 in 2014. Juneau is the second most populous city in Alaska after Anchorage.
