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Hoonah is the principal village for the Huna, a Tlingit tribe that has occupied the Glacier Bay/Icy Strait area since prehistory. Local history tells of an original ancestral home in Glacier Bay that was destroyed by a glacial advance. Hoonah means “village by the cliff.”

Fast Facts:

Location: Located 35 miles southwest of Juneau on Chichagof Island, third largest island in Alaska after Kodiak and Prince of Wales, and fifth largest in the United States. 

Population: 880

Miscellaneous: The largest Tlingit village in Southeast Alaska - Commercial fishing and logging are major sources of income

Hoonah is home to the world's longest zipline - 5330 feet long with a 1300 foot vertical drop, opened in 2007.

Fun Things To Do:
Hoonah is known for its great fishing and most recently, Hoonah is an old village with a new industry – tourism. Since cruise visitors have been coming to Hoonah, the village has developed a number of exciting new tours and activities.

Icy Strait Point: Icy Strait Point offers Alaska tourists a unique chance to gain first-hand knowledge of Alaska Natives and their rich culture and history. The tourism destination, located in Hoonah, is a renovated cannery operation that once was the leading producer of canned salmon in Alaska. Visitors will take in an abundance of breathtaking natural beauty and a host of shore and wildlife excursions.

Icy Strait has been added to the itineraries of Royal Celebrity tour ships. This season, starting in May, the cruise line will make 33 port calls to deliver thousands of passengers. Once completed and fully operational, Icy Strait Point will employ up to 600 people.
Current Community Information
Hoonah is the largest Tlingit village in Alaska. Commercial fishing and logging have supported the population, and most residents maintain a subsistence lifestyle.

Fishing

Fishing is a mainstay of the economy, and Hoonah experiences nearly full employment during the summer season. 114 residents hold commercial fishing permits. Fish processing at Excursion Inlet Packing Co., employment at the Thompson Cold Storage Plant, logging for Sealaska Corp., and logging related activities provide local employment.

The Huna Totem Corp. owns a sort yard and timber transfer facility. Subsistence activities are important components of the lifestyle. Salmon, shellfish, deer, waterfowl and berries are harvested.

Transportation

Hoonah is dependent on air transportation for movement of small freight and passengers. The town is also connected to the rest of southeast Alaska by the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Climate

Hoonah’s maritime climate is characterized by cool summers and mild winters. Summer temperatures average 52°F to 63°F; winter temperatures average 26°F to 39°F. Temperature extremes have been recorded from –25°F to 87°F. Precipitation averages 54 inches annually, with 71 inches of snowfall.
Early History:
Hoonah is the principal village for the Huna, a Tlingit tribe that has occupied the Glacier Bay/Icy Strait area since prehistory. Local history tells of an original ancestral home in Glacier Bay that was destroyed by a glacial advance. Hoonah means “village by the cliff.”

The Northwest Trading Co. built the first store in Hoonah in 1880. In 1881, the Presbyterian Home Mission and school were built. By 1887, 450 to 500 people were wintering in the village. A post office was established in 1901. In 1912, the Hoonah Packing Co. built a large cannery one mile north of town. The Thompson Fish Company still operates today as Hoonah Cold Storage. In 1944, a fire destroyed much of the City and many priceless Tlingit cultural objects. The federal government assisted in rebuilding the community.