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Haines Borough
(HAYNZ); includes Chilkoot (CHILL-koot)
Current Population: 2,207 (DCCED 2005 Cert. Pop.)
Incorporation Type: Home Rule Borough
Borough Located In: Haines Borough
Taxes: Sales: 4.0% (5.5% in Haines Townsite), Property: 7.12 mills (12.29 mills in Haines Townsite), Special: 4% Bed Tax
Location and Climate
Haines Borough is located on the shores of the Lynn Canal, between the Chilkoot and Chilkat Rivers, 80 air miles northwest of Juneau. It is just south of the Canadian border at British Columbia, 85 air miles north of Juneau and 600 air miles southeast of Anchorage and Fairbanks. By road, it is 775 miles from Anchorage.It lies at approximately 59.233330° North Latitude and -135.43333° West Longitude . The area encompasses 2,343.7 sq. miles of land and 382.1 sq. miles of water. Haines experiences a maritime climate characterized by cool summers and mild winters. Summer temperatures range from 50 to 70; winter temperatures range from 10 to 35.
History, Culture and Demographics
The Haines area was called "Dei Shu" by the Tlingit, meaning "end of the trail." The Chilkat Tlingit controlled the trading routes between the coast and the Interior. The first non-Native to settle here was George Dickinson, an agent for the North West Trading Co., in 1880. In 1881, S. Young Hall, a Presbyterian minister, received permission from the Chilkat to build the Willard Mission and school. The mission was renamed Haines in 1884 in honor of Mrs. F.E. Haines, Secretary of the Presbyterian Women's Executive Society of Home Missions, who had raised funds for the mission's construction. During the Klondike gold rush in the late 1890s, it grew as a mining supply center, since the Dalton Trail from Chilkat Inlet to Whitehorse offered an easier route to the Yukon for prospectors. Gold was also discovered 36 miles from Haines in 1899 at the Porcupine District. Four canneries had been constructed in the area by the turn of the century. The first permanent U.S. military installation was constructed south of Haines in 1904, Fort William H. Seward. In 1922, the fort was renamed Chilkoot Barracks. Until World War II, it was the only U.S. Army post in Alaska. It was deactivated in 1946 and sold as surplus property to a group of veterans who established it as Port Chilkoot. The City of Port Chilkoot was incorporated in 1956. Haines Borough formed as a third-class borough on August 29, 1968. In 1970, Port Chilkoot merged with Haines into the City of Haines. In 1972, the post was designated a national historic site and the name, Fort William Seward, was restored. The last of the early canneries closed in 1972 due to declining fish stocks. Expansion of the timber industry in the early 1970s fueled growth. In 1974, the Borough annexed 420 square miles to the south, including Excursion Inlet. In 1978, it annexed the former military petroleum distribution facility at Lutak Inlet. The City of Haines and the Haines Borough were consolidated on October 17, 2002, resulting in the establishment of a home-rule borough.
The population of the community consists of 15.6% Alaska Native or part Native. Haines is home to the world's largest congregation of bald eagles, who feed from the warm spring-fed rivers. The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is a major attraction in Southeast. During the 2000 U.S. Census, total housing units numbered 1,419, and vacant housing units numbered 428. Vacant housing units used only seasonally numbered 301. U.S. Census data for Year 2000 showed 992 residents as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was 13.66 percent, although 46.78 percent of all adults were not in the work force. The median household income was $40,772, per capita income was $22,090, and 10.67 percent of residents were living below the poverty level.
Facilities, Utilities, Schools and Health Care
This information is available on a community basis. Communities located within the Borough include: Covenant Life, Haines, Lutak, Mud Bay and Mosquito Lake. There are 4 schools located in the borough, attended by 330 students. Auxiliary health care is provided by Haines Volunteer Fire Dept./EMS (766-2115/2121).
Economy and Transportation
The Borough School District, retail trade, business and transportation services, fishing and forestry provide the majority of employment in the Borough. 128 area residents hold commercial fishing permits. Many jobs are seasonal. Tourism and the traffic Haines draws as a result of its road connection to the State Ferry are important. In 2001, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines ceased serving Haines as a port of call. Today, around 45,000 cruise ship passengers visit yearly. The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve draws visitors from around the world.
Haines is a major trans-shipment point because of its ice-free, deep water port and dock, and year-round road access to Canada and Interior Alaska. It is a northern terminus of the Alaska State Ferry System, and a hub for transportation to and from southeast Alaska. Haines has a 4,600' airport runway.
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