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52-459: Metlakatla ( / ˌ m ɛ t l ə ˈ k æ t l ə / ; Tsimshian : Maxłaxaała or Tak'waan ; Lingít : Tàakw.àani ) is a census-designated place (CDP) on Annette Island in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area , Alaska , United States . At the 2010 census the population was 1,405; this had grown to 1,454 by the 2020 census . Since the late 19th century, it has been the major settlement of

104-537: A 12-hour shift. In 2004, the MV Lituya was added to the fleet to make the 16.5-nautical-mile (30.6 km) trip between Ketchikan and Metlakatla in Southeast. With a design heavily influenced by oil rig supply vessels, she is unique among the fleet with an open car deck and limited passenger facilities. Costing only $ 9.5 million ($ 15 million today), her low fuel consumption and small crew complement make her

156-618: A 20-year lease with the city of Bellingham . Facing the need to increase capacity, both the Matanuska and Malaspina were stretched by 56 feet, beyond the capacity of some of the smaller harbors and leaving the Taku as the only AMHS ship in Southeast able to serve some of the smaller communities. To serve the smaller communities of Southeast, the AMHS ordered the MV LeConte in 1974 and

208-543: A European-style grid pattern. It contained a church, a school, a cannery, and a sawmill. They named the town New Metlakatla, after the town they had left behind, but later dropped the "New." In 1888, William Duncan returned to Washington and lobbied the U.S. Congress for an Indian reserve on Annette Island. Although the reservation system had not been used in Alaska, Congress granted his request in 1891. Duncan remained at Metlakatla until his death in 1918. During World War II,

260-596: A converted LCT-Mark VI landing craft , christened the MV ; Chilkoot . They operated a weekly service from Tee Harbor (north of Juneau) to Haines and Skagway, connecting the territorial capital to the international road system. The Chilkoot Motorship Lines was purchased by the territorial government , and moved under the Territorial Board of Road Commissioners in 1951. In 1957, the MV Chillkoot

312-482: A high percentage of tourists in the summer, and provide service between Bellingham, Washington, or Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and Skagway, Alaska. Along the way, the ships stop in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, and Haines. The smaller communities Kake and Hoonah are served by certain mainline sailings. During 2008, the five largest AMHS vessels were used on the Southeast mainline routes. These were

364-597: A household in the CDP was $ 43,516, and the median income for a family was $ 49,671. Males had a median income of $ 36,696 versus $ 22,292 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $ 16,140. About 7.7% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over. Metlakatla is served by the Annette Island School District . A free Adult Education and GED program serves

416-726: A more ancient time, it was a Tlingit hunting ground known as Taquan, or Tàakw.àani . The Tsimshian were granted permission to occupy the land by Chief Johnson of the Tlingit tribe. In 1886, William Duncan , an English tannery employee and lay member of the Church Missionary Society , had a doctrinal dispute with the Church authorities in Metlakatla, B.C. He and a devoted group of Tsimshian followers decided to leave Metlakatla. Duncan went to Washington, D.C., in

468-519: A total of 32 terminals throughout Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington. It is part of the National Highway System and receives federal highway funding. It is also the only method of transportation of vehicles between the state and the contiguous United States not requiring international customs and immigration. The Alaska Marine Highway System is a rare example in the U.S. of a shipping line offering regularly scheduled service for

520-627: Is within the Port Chester Bay, on Annette Island , about 25 km (16 mi) south of Ketchikan . According to the United States Census Bureau , the CDP has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km), of which, 2.3 square miles (6.0 km) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km) of it (0.85%) is water. Metlakatla has a Marine west coast climate ( Köppen Cfb ), with windy and wet weather year-round, cool winters, and mild summers, and straddles

572-662: The Alaska Marine Highway ferry. They can also travel to Ketchikan on Revillagigedo Island and cross the Revillagigedo Channel to Annette Island by boat or seaplane. More than 50 years after the end of WWII, in 1997 the US Federal Government began construction of the cross-island road promised to Metlakatla under its wartime M.O.A. treaty. From 1997 to 2007, a joint task force under the overall command of Alaska Command , and led by

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624-641: The MV Aurora in 1978. These would be the last new ships built for the AMHS for 20 years, ending the initial construction of the AMHS. On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound. The State of Alaska's on scene response was managed from the E.L. Bartlett, later relieved by the Aurora. Suction trucks were placed in the car-deck, temporarily converting

676-684: The MV Tazlina was delivered in August 2018 by the Vigor Shipyard in Ketchikan, AK, and the MV Hubbard was launched in June 2023. All current vessels are named after Alaskan glaciers . In addition to the current fleet, the following vessels have been retired: The AMHS carries around 350,000 passengers and 100,000 vehicles every year. In their 2008 Annual Traffic Volume Report,

728-473: The MV  Columbia , MV  Kennicott , MV  Malaspina , MV  Matanuska , and the MV  Taku . Day boat service was also provided on the North Lynn Canal route during the peak summer season by MV Malaspina. This route provides round-trip service between Juneau, Haines and Skagway. The day boat routes connect the smaller communities of Southeast Alaska with each other and with

780-713: The Missouri Army National Guard , worked at constructing a 15-mile road from one side of Annette Island to the other. Members of the Active and Reserve components of the Army , Navy , United States Air Force , and the Marines deployed to the island on 2- to 3-week rotations to build the road. Metlakatla is located at 55°7′37″N 131°34′35″W  /  55.12694°N 131.57639°W  / 55.12694; -131.57639 (55.126916, −131.576393). It

832-536: The AMHS with a significantly longer route system, and no new vessels to serve it. Faced with the lengthy construction time and cost of building a new vessel, the AMHS looked abroad to find a quicker solution. The Stena Britannica , just a year old, was purchased and rechristened the MV Wickersham . While the Wickersham was relatively inexpensive to purchase, and could be added to the system quickly, she

884-480: The Alaska Marine Highway reported moving 340,412 passengers and 109,839 vehicles; equating to the highest passenger ridership in eight years and the highest vehicle ridership in sixteen. The Ferry is very popular with summer tourists (one of the primary reasons Bellingham and Prince Rupert are AMHS destinations). Tent cities commonly sprout up on the aft of mainline vessels, and for budget travellers,

936-738: The Alaska Peninsula, and the Aleutian Islands. The MV Tustumena provides regular service between Kodiak, Port Lions, Seldovia and Homer. In 2008, between April and October, the MV Tustumena traveled out the Aleutian chain once a month to Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, stopping at Chignik, Sand Point, King Cove, False Pass, Akutan and Cold Bay. This trip is not made in the winter because of adverse weather conditions. In 2008 service in Prince William Sound to Valdez, Cordova and Whittier

988-551: The CDP was 9.53% White , 0.22% Black or African American , 81.82% Native American , 0.07% Asian , 0.51% from other races , and 7.85% from two or more races. 1.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 469 households, out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who

1040-570: The MV Columbia , a sit-down restaurant are also offered. In July 2011 the Marine Highway began the bidding process to build the first of what they refer to as "Alaska-Class Vessels", made to travel shorter routes. They would not have staterooms available for passengers. One hundred-twenty million dollars were set aside for the project, and the future ships names were selected from a contest amongst Alaska students. The first ferry named

1092-648: The Metlakatla Indian Community as a bona fide member. Bona fide membership is granted upon approval of the Metlakatla Tribal Council and Executives. Metlakatla comes from Maxłaxaała , a Tsimshian word meaning "saltwater passage where the wind dies down." Metlakatla was named after another village of the same name ("Old Metlakatla") in British Columbia , which is on Metlakatla Pass, near Prince Rupert . In

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1144-522: The Metlakatla Indian Community of the federally recognized Annette Island Reserve , the only remaining reserve in Alaska. The Metlakatla voted to opt out of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of the 1970s and retained rights to their land and waters. Membership in the community is primarily by lineage; it consists primarily of Tsimshian people and also includes those from other Alaskan Native tribes who wish to join

1196-537: The Reserve Status, and maintained sovereign immunity. "Annette Islands Reserve consists of 132,000 acres of land and water base. Metlakatla Indian Community has exclusive commercial and subsistence fishing rights to the islands’ waterways extending from 3,000 feet at mean low tide." Please note that the Annette island's Reserve is not a reservation. It is a reserve Travelers into Metlakatla usually reach it via

1248-473: The Southeast Alaska mainline communities (Ketchikan, Petersburg, Wrangell, Sitka, Juneau, Haines and Skagway) that serve as regional centers for commerce, government health services, and/or connections to other transportation systems. The day boat routes primarily serve local residents, and include Angoon, Hoonah, Kake, Metlakatla, Pelican, and Tenakee. In 2008, three AMHS vessels provided service on

1300-645: The Tsimshianic family is not closely related to any other North American language. Tsimshianic consists of 4 lects : Coast Tsimshian is spoken along the lower Skeena River in Northwestern British Columbia , on some neighbouring islands, and to the north at New Metlakatla, Alaska . Southern Tsimshian was spoken on an island quite far south of the Skeena River in the village of Klemtu ; however, it became extinct in 2013 with

1352-577: The United States and asked the U.S. government to give his group land in Alaska . The U.S. under President Cleveland gave them Annette Island after a Tsimshian search committee in seagoing canoes discovered its calm bay, accessible beaches, nearby waterfall, and abundant fish. In 1887, the group arrived on the island and built a settlement in the Port Chester area. They laid out the town in

1404-613: The United States made a treaty with the Metlakatla Indian Community to permit construction and operation of a military airbase on Annette Island. In exchange, the US promised to build a road connecting the ocean-side city to Alaska's Inside Passage (in order to allow year-round ferry service to Ketchikan). The airfield on Annette Island was garrisoned by Canadians during the war. This airfield became "the first Canadian force ever based in U.S. territory to directly assist in American defense." After

1456-420: The border between USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7 and 8. Due to its southerly and maritime location, with an annual mean temperature of 47.7 °F (8.7 °C), the town is one of the warmest locations statewide. Most days during the winter see precipitation fall, and the seasonal total snowfall of 34.8 inches (88 cm) occurs mostly from November to March, with some accumulation during April; warm spells raise

1508-521: The community. It is run through the Southeast Regional Resource Center, which is based out of Juneau. Tsimshian language The Tsimshianic languages were included by Edward Sapir in his Penutian hypothesis, which is currently not widely accepted, at least in its full form. The Penutian connections of Tsimshianic have been reevaluated by Marie-Lucie Tarpent , who finds the idea probable, though others hold that

1560-507: The day boat routes. These were the MV  LeConte , the MV  Fairweather and the MV  Lituya . The MV Lituya is dedicated to providing day boat service between Ketchikan and Metlakatla. The Southeast System connects with the continental road system at Bellingham, Washington, Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and in Alaska at Haines and Skagway. When the MV Kennicott , a vessel certified to operate in open waters, joined

1612-704: The death of the last speaker. Nisga’a is spoken along the Nass River . Gitksan is spoken along the Upper Skeena River around Hazelton and other areas. Nisga’a and Gitksan are very closely related and are usually considered dialects of the same language by linguists. However, speakers from both groups consider themselves ethnically separate from each other and from the Tsimshian and thus consider Nisga’a and Gitksan to be separate languages. Coast and Southern Tsimshian are also often regarded as dialects of

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1664-579: The ferry into a spill response vessel. The State of Alaska determined a new vessel was necessary, and the new vessel should be designed from the beginning to be able to take on a command and control role in the case of another disaster. Funded in part by settlement money from Exxon , the MV Kennicott joined the system in 1998. New construction since the Kennicott has focused on day boats, which can run their expected schedule and return home within

1716-481: The fleet in the summer 1998 the ferry system expanded to include regular cross-gulf sailings. Also known as "inter-tie trips", these sailings connect Southeastern Alaska with Southcentral and Southwest regions of the state. All cross-gulf trips include a stop at the port of Yakutat , a community unique in that it is served only on a cross-gulf route. During 2008, the AMHS provided Yakutat with 10 port calls. The Southwest system serves Prince William Sound, Kodiak Island,

1768-634: The following communities year-round: The following vessels, from smallest to largest, currently serve in the Alaska Marine Highway's fleet: Most Alaska Marine Highway System vessels are built for multiple-day voyages due to the large distances between ports. For example, it takes just under three days to travel from Bellingham to Skagway, and 18 hours for the Sitka to Juneau "milk run". Because of this, larger vessels (MV Tustumena and larger) come with staterooms, while all mainline vessels have solariums , showers, and lounges for sleeping. Hot food services and, on

1820-482: The high to 50 °F (10 °C) for several days each month. During summer, there is an average of 23 days with 70 °F (21 °C)+ highs, and rain still falls on around half of the days. Precipitation averages more than 101 inches (2.57 m) annually, with June and July being the driest months and October and November the wettest. Extreme temperatures have ranged from −4 °F (−20 °C) on January 30, 1947, up to 93 °F (34 °C) on June 19, 2004, with

1872-593: The most economical vessel in the fleet, giving the AMHS real-world data on the effectiveness of small, short-haul ferries in Southeast waters. In 2019, a labor strike involving over 400 members of the Inlandboatman's Union of the Pacific shut down the AMH for several days between July 24 and August 2. This strike, the first one the AMH had seen in 42 years, led to a $ 3.2 million loss in revenue and reimbursements and

1924-482: The primary purpose of transportation of passengers rather than of leisure or entertainment. Voyages can last many days, but, in contrast to the luxury of a typical cruise line, cabins cost extra, and most food is served cafeteria-style . The forerunner to the Alaska Marine Highway was the Chilkoot Motorship Lines, founded in 1948 by Haines residents Steve Homer and Ray Gelotte. The company used

1976-626: The same language. As of 2023, Tsimshian courses are available at the University of Alaska Southeast . Consonantal inventory of Proto-Tsimshian: Alaska Marine Highway The Alaska Marine Highway ( AMH ) or the Alaska Marine Highway System ( AMHS ) is a ferry service operated by the U.S. state of Alaska . It has its headquarters in Ketchikan, Alaska . The Alaska Marine Highway System operates along

2028-572: The south-central coast of the state, the eastern Aleutian Islands and the Inside Passage of Alaska and British Columbia , Canada. Ferries serve communities in Southeast Alaska that have no road access, and the vessels can transport people, freight, and vehicles. AMHS's 3,500 miles (5,600 km) of routes go as far south as Bellingham, Washington , in the contiguous United States and as far west as Unalaska/Dutch Harbor , with

2080-679: The state until 2004. In 1967, two events acted to severely restrict transportation to and from Southeast Alaska. A slide took out the Alaska Highway to the North, and BC Ferries MV Queen of Prince Rupert ran aground, severely limiting transfer passengers' ability to move between the AMHS Southern terminus of Prince Rupert, British Columbia to Seattle . Until this time, portions of the passage between Southeast Alaska and Washington State were classified as outside waters, and none of

2132-549: The temperature having fallen below 0 °F (−18 °C) only on a handful of occasions. In addition, the Annette Island Airport holds the Alaska state monthly record high temperatures for April (82 °F or 28 °C on April 29, 1976) and November (67 °F or 19 °C on November 1, 1970). Metlakatla first appeared on the 1890 U.S. Census as the unincorporated (Tsimshian) village of "Metlakahtla." From 1900-30, it returned as Metlakatla. From 1940-60, it

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2184-445: The vessels the AMHS operated in Southeast Alaska had the necessary ocean-going certification required to carry passengers on outside waters. Citing the need for a transportation link between Alaska and the rest of the United States, then governor Wally Hickel ordered the AMHS to send a vessel south to Seattle while putting a request to Congress to re-classify the route as inside waters. The federal government agreed to do so, which left

2236-502: The war, the property was adapted as a United States Coast Guard search and rescue base. This airfield served the area commercially until the 1970s, when the new Ketchikan Airport was built at Gravina Island in the Inside Passage. Annette Islands Reserve, including surrounding islands, today is the only Indian Reserve in Alaska. In the 1970s, the Metlakatla did not accept the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and thus kept

2288-803: The winter months when traffic demand was significantly reduced and weather conditions worsened, the MV Chenega was moved to North Lynn Canal to replace the Fairweather for its overhaul period. The MV Tustumena also underwent a CIP project, leaving the MV Aurora to provide service between the ports. The Alaska Marine Highway's main hub is in Juneau , though administrative offices are in Ketchikan . Other smaller operational hubs include Cordova ( Prince William Sound ), Ketchikan (southern Panhandle ), and Kodiak (Southcentral Alaska). The AMHS serves

2340-452: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.50. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 33.1% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.0 males. The median income for

2392-970: Was never re-flagged as an American ship, and so commercial operation between US ports of call was a violation of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (commonly known as the Jones Act ). Initially, the State of Alaska had felt they would be able to get a waiver of the Jones Act for the Wickersham, but that request was blocked, severely limiting the scheduling flexibility of the ship. While the Wickersham could pick up passengers in Washington State and deliver them to Alaska if there were an intermediary stop in Canada, moving passengers within Alaska

2444-697: Was not allowed. Additionally, as the Wickersham was not specifically built for Alaskan ports, she was limited as to which ports she could dock at. The AMHS ordered the new construction of the MV Columbia , which replaced the Wickersham on the mainline Seattle route in 1974. The southern terminus of the AMHS remained in Seattle until October 1989, when it moved to the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Fairhaven, Washington , after signing

2496-459: Was provided by the MV Aurora . The MV Chenega provided additional service during the summer season, and the MV Kennicott provided supplemental service. AMHS also provided fifty-five stops in the village of Tatitlek and thirty-six stops in Chenega Bay. Tourist passengers add a significant percentage to the Prince William Sound traffic in the summer, especially between Valdez and Whittier. In

2548-399: Was replaced by the MV Chilkat , which remained a part of the system until being decommissioned in 1988. In 1959, the year Alaska became a state, voters approved an $ 18 million ($ 188 million today) bond package to improve the ferry system throughout the Southeast and Southcentral regions. The package included 4 new vessels and new docks throughout. The first of these new vessels built

2600-436: Was resolved with federal mediation. The southeast AMHS route system is divided into two subsystems: the mainline routes which typically take more than one day for the ship to travel; and shorter routes where the vessels depart their home port in the morning, travel to destination ports and then return to their home port on the same day. The shorter routes are commonly referred to as "day boat" routes. The mainline routes carry

2652-461: Was spelled as "Metlakahtla" again. In 1970 and in every census since, it has been spelled as Metlakatla. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) beginning in 1980. As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375 people, 469 households, and 338 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 593.4 inhabitants per square mile (229.1/km). There were 531 housing units at an average density of 229.2 per square mile (88.5/km). The racial makeup of

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2704-434: Was the MV Malaspina , followed closely by the MV Matanuska and MV Taku . With 3 new ships, and a new name, the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) was born. The following year, the ocean-certified MV Tustumena was completed, the Chilkat moved to Prince William Sound , and the AMHS started service in Southcentral. In 1969, that service was expanded with the addition of the MV E.L. Bartlett , in service with

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