This coastal town of around 8,200 was founded in 1885, and today is a major magnet for Alaska visitors, including a core which is a National Historic District and is part of an area with the largest collection of standing First Nations/Native American totem poles. Some of these can be found at the Saxman Totem Park in the town of Saxman, on Revillagigedo Island just offshore from Ketchikan. Other great places to view totem poles locally include Totem Bight State Historical Park, the Ketchikan Tongass Historical Museum, Cape Fox Lodge, and the Ketchikan Indian Community building.

mark byzewski