Page Contents for Juneau, Alaska

Statistics & Facts

Location

Weather & Climate

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Economy

Government

Historical Events

Organizations, Churches, and Sports.

Libraries.

Schools.

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The Alaska state capital is Juneau.
The population of Juneau is approximately 30,903 (2001).
The approximate number of families is 10,638 (1990).
The amount of land area in Juneau is 2,716.7 sq. miles.
The amount of surface water is 1262.782 sq kilometers.
The distance from Juneau to Washington DC is 3065 miles.
The distance to the Alaska state capital is miles. (as the crow flies)
Juneau is positioned 58.38 degrees north of the equator and 134.13 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Juneau average annual precipitation is 92 inches peryear.
Juneau average annual snowfall is 101 inches per year.
Juneau average temperature is 55 degrees F.
The average winter temperature is 25-35 degrees F.
The average summer temperature is 45-65 degrees F.

Location

in Alaska's Inside Passage in the Panhandle of Southeast Alaska, opposite Douglas Island. It is 900 air miles north of Seattle and 600 air miles south of Anchorage.

Here is a map page for Juneau.
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Climate

mild, maritime. It is rare for the winter temperatures to go below 20 degrees Fahrenheit and summer highs seldom reach past 65 degrees. Much rain helps keep the area beautiful and green with coastal forests of the large Sitka spruce and the Western hemlock. The month with the least rainfall is usually June. Though the area doesn't experience the famous "midnight sun," the days are much longer in the summer and shorter in the winter than experienced in the continental US. The twilight time is also much longer effectively extending or shortening the daylight hours.
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Weather

mild. Here is a weather page for Juneau.
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History & History Related Items

Juneau has been Alaska's capital since 1900. It was founded in 1880.

The Juneau area was first home to the Tlingit Indians who fished, hunted, trapped and traded here for thousands of year. Once gold was discovered in 1880, the area changed and greatly expanded. The gold fever brought miners, laborers, merchants and new residents to the area from all over the world. The panning for gold days were short-lived as the loose gold in the streams began to run out. What was left was underground which meant large mining companies began to come in to mine it out. The gold ore required up to 28 tons of ore to get just one ounce of gold which caused new, more efficient, technology to be developed. Though mining was the focus of the local economy, many other facets were also developed with fisherman, merchants, etc. and their families.

First known as Harrisburg in 1880, named for one of its founders, Richard Harris, Juneau was formed in 1900. In 1881, a new name was voted in for Harrisburg. Juneau City won over Harrisburg and Rockwell. The name was official from the Post Office Department in 1882. The Post Office Department also dropped the word "city" from the name, officially naming the city, Juneau. The state capital moved from Sitka to Juneau in 1906 when Alaska was still just a U.S. Territory. The mining era officially closed in 1944 when the last mine closed down. Through the years, government, and all its related fields, have become the major portions of the local economy for Juneau. In 1970, the City of Juneau and City of Douglas were unified into the City & Borough of Juneau.

Here is a great history page for Juneau. Also try this history page for links and information including some historic postcard views.
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Attractions

Juneau is where adventure runs wild!
See the website for exciting times or call toll-free for more information: 888-581-2201

See some great historical photos of Juneau.

Alaska State Museum
395 Whittier Street
Juneau, AK 99801-1718
Phone: (907) 465-2901
Fax: (907) 465-2976

Juneau-Douglas City Museum
centrally located in downtown Juneau , at the corner of 4th and Main, across from the State Capitol.

Visitor Information for Juneau and the area.
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Economy & Industry

The Juneau economy is based on State, local, and Federal government, tourism, mining, fishing, and logging
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Juneau City Government

City and Borough of Juneau
155 South Seward Street
Juneau, Alaska 99801

The City and Borough of Juneau is a home-rule municipality under the Constitution of the State of Alaska. It has a Council/Manager form of government. The Borough Assembly is composed of the Mayor and eight Assembly members. The City Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the government.

A borough in Alaska is similar to a county or parish in the "lower 48." Some of the boroughs, such as Juneau, is a consolidated city/borough government. The city of Juneau and the Juneau Borough were unified in 1970.

Juneau Historical Events

1970
The City of Douglas and the surrounding areas are unified together as the City and Borough of Juneau.

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1959
Alaska becomes a state with Juneau as its first state capital

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1900
Juneau becomes the capital of the Alaska Territory

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1881
The town is named Juneau City

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1880
Gold is discovered by Chief Kowee, Richard and Joe Juneau.

Juneau Libraries

Juneau Public Library
292 Marine Way
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: 907-586-5249

Juneau Schools

Juneau School District

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HIGHER EDUCATION

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University of Alaska - Southeast
11120 Glacier Hwy.
Juneau, AK 99801
Email
Phone: (907) 465-6457
Toll-free: (877) 465-4827
Fax: (907) 465-6365 Juneau

Miscellany

Juneau zip codes include zip codes for Douglas, Alaska, and Auke Bay, Alaska

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Juneau has a total of 3,255 square miles of which 538.3 square miles are of water and 2,716.7 square miles are of land.

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The population of Juneau was:
1990 - 26,751
2000 - 31,262 (12-2000)
2001 - 30,903 (12-2001)