Historical Vignettes

Marine History

Southeast Alaska is a unique part of the world. Beautiful scenery and a relatively mild climate create a pleasing place to live. Bountiful life sustaining resources such as fish, berries and wildlife enticed the Indians, the first people in the region, to stay. Steep, rugged mountains and dense underbrush often made land travel a near impossibility in many places. The path of least resistance was--and even with the advent of air travel sometimes still is--water.

The Tlingit people made large ocean-going canoes for trading, visiting neighboring villages and waging war. Today, state ferries, luxury cruise ships, the Coast Guard, fishing boats and other assorted vessels ply those same waters. Most communities in Southeast continue to rely heavily on marine transportation since interstate highways are found only in Haines, Skagway and Hyder. Juneau, Alaska's state capital, is inaccessible by road.

A dugout canoe plying still waters

The first known meeting of non-Native and Tlingit people took place in 1741 when two Russian ships set off to explore the land to the east. The St. Peter, under the command of Alexei Chirikof, anchored near the community of Yakutat, west of Haines. Two boats were sent ashore, neither of which was reported returning. Later expeditions fared much better as Spanish, English, Russians and Americans carried on brisk fur trading with the Tlingits -- who incidentally were described as astute bargainers. The first steamship in the North Pacific, The Beaver, was built especially for travel up the Inside Passage. It was commissioned by the Hudson's Bay Company whose traders steamed to the Chilkat River near Haines as late as 1865.


One of many boats filled with tourists
Regular monthly boat service from U.S. ports to Sitka began in 1867 following the purchase of Alaska from the Russians. Occupation troops were dispatched and cargo and mail soon followed. By 1875 several shiplines were making the voyage all the way up the Panhandle in spite of often-inhospitable waters and a treacherous coastline. The first tourists began booking passage as reports of unparalleled scenery were increasingly publicized. Eighteen hundred tourists visited the territory by ship during the summer of 1892.

By the turn of the century several events had caused tremendous increase in Southeast Alaskan marine travel: Presbyterian missions were established (1881 in Haines); fish canneries were built (1882 in Haines); and gold had been discovered in Alaska. The Inside Passage was a major route to overland staging areas for the gold fields.

In December of 1894, Charles E. Peabody and his associates founded the Alaska Steamship Company, which would eventually enjoy a near monopoly of freight and passenger service to Alaska as their fleet increased to 67 ships. Alaska Steam called at Haines, and many long-time residents have nostalgic memories of voyages on the line.

The Alaska Steamship Company continued passenger service until 1954 when a combination of factors forced it into the freight business. Following W.W.II, The state’s population decreased and passenger planes began flying to Alaska. The end of an era was at hand as the gallant flotilla of passenger vessels disappeared from Alaska waters. Stiff competition (among other factors) eventually forced Alaska Steamship Company out of the freight business in 1971.

Alaska Steamship Company
steamer "Alaska" at Taku Glacier

 

Harriet Sheldon Brakken, daughter of Steve Sheldon, remembers the Alaska line clearly, having grown up in Haines during its operation. She and her sister, Elisabeth Hakkinen, Curator Emeritus of the Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center, traveled south to college onboard the ships. This is one of her recollections: "During our years of traveling to Seattle in the fall (1930-39) enroute to college and returning home each spring, Alaskan young people had the opportunity to get acquainted. Most of the canneries hired young men for summer help. They went to school at the same time and we all knew each other. At that time of year the ships made frequent stops at canneries, spending several hours loading and unloading. We would go down to the kitchen and get a lunch. Then off we went on some beautiful trails along the Inside Passage."

Harriet Sheldon (middle) greeting friends off a steamer

Elisabeth recalls the days of Alaska Steam's Christmas ship: "One charming custom which disappeared with the Alaska Steamship Company's passenger and freight service was the annual Christmas ship. If it docked during school hours, teachers and students went to greet it together. No more school was expected that day, and the children usually went home from the dock with their parents. The ship was gaily decorated with lights and flags galore, and the ship's musicians would be playing carols all the time they were in port. Santa himself would be aboard holding court. He had a box of gifts on each side of his chair - on one side were things for girls, and on the other were the gifts for boys - each one carefully and gaily wrapped. An elf stood by and gave sprays of holly and mistletoe to all the ladies."

Here in Haines two military ships, the U.S. Harbor Boats Peterson and Captain James Fornance impacted both military and civilian life. Ostensibly the 125' crafts supplemented mail and freight service to Fort Seward (called Chilkoot Barracks after 1923) and were used for recreation for the troops from1909-1932. However, civilians could also ride the boats for free, and a mingling of townsfolk and military personnel was achieved.

Today, year round marine transportation is provided by the Alaska Marine Highway system-- the ferries. The system has its roots here in Haines where, in 1948, two young local men, Steve Homer and Ray Gelotte, began the service with a converted LCT-Mark 6 landing craft. They christened it the MV Chilkoot, and carried people, freight and vehicles between Haines, Skagway and Tee Harbor, 18 miles north of Juneau. Their business was purchased by the Territory of Alaska in 1951 and grew, as the Alaska Marine Highway to nine ferries with service extended to Seattle. After 25 years of service, the southern terminus was relocated to Bellingham, WA. A new ferry, MV Kennicott, was added to the fleet in 1998.

M.V. Malasapina, just one of the 9 ships in the Alaska Marine Highway System
SUBTLE TREACHERY

"S.S.Victoria" navigating through icy waters

The soaring mountains and pristine waters of Southeast Alaska mask subtle treachery.  Violent storms, icy waters, submerged rocks and an average twenty foot fluctuation in tides makes for dangerous passage, especially before the introduction of lighthouses such as Eldred Rock at the turn of the nineteenth century.  Even then many vessels came by calamity. Illustrated is but a few.     


Steamer "Resolute" crusted in ice.

On the rocks, S.S. Princess May 1910

"S.S. Mariechen" - False Bay, Alaska

 

For further information on Transportation in Alaska please view the following links:
Alaska Midland Railroad • Dalton Trail • Haines Highway • Haines Pipeline

Barbara Waterbury 1987
updated by Blythe Carter 2003
(c) Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center, Inc. Box 269 Haines, AK 99827  1(907) 766-2366
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