Juneau << JOO noh >> (pop. 32,255) is the capital of Alaska. It lies in the southeastern part of the state, the area known as the Alaska Panhandle.
No roads lead into Juneau. The city can be reached only by aircraft or boat. It lies on the Inside Passage, a scenic water transportation route that extends from Washington to southeastern Alaska. A state-operated ferry system on the Inside Passage connects Juneau to other communities in southeastern Alaska and to the lower 48 states. During the summer months, cruise ships stop daily in Juneau. The passengers enjoy such activities as a tour of historic downtown Juneau, a tram ride up nearby Mount Roberts, and a helicopter tour of the Juneau Icefield, which is a vast area of ice and snow that lies behind mountains bordering the city.
The local, state, and federal government provide a large percentage of Juneau’s jobs. Tourism is an important industry. Other chief industries include commercial fishing and mining. The Greens Creek mine produces gold, lead, silver, and zinc.
Juneau was founded in 1880 on the site of Alaska’s first major gold discovery. The city was first called Harrisburgh for Richard T. Harris, one of the two prospectors who first discovered gold there. In 1882, the city was renamed Juneau, after the other prospector, Joseph Juneau. In 1906, Juneau replaced Sitka as Alaska’s capital.
For many years, gold mining was Juneau’s chief economic activity. The city had the world’s largest underground low-grade-ore gold mines. The last of the gold mines closed in 1944 when operating costs exceeded income.
In 1970, the cities of Juneau and Douglas merged with the Greater Juneau Borough to form the City and Borough of Juneau. In 1976, Alaskans voted to move the state capital from Juneau to south-central Alaska, nearer the state’s population center. But in 1982, they voted against providing funds for the move. Juneau has a council-manager form of government.
