Creek Street

During the Klondike Gold Rush when the Alaska panhandle was flooded with gold seekers, houses of ill repute were endemic in the towns that sprang up. In Ketchikan, Creek Street was where they were located. The street got its name because the buildings were built on the side of hill that rises up from a salmon creek. They perch on wooden pilings or cling to the hillside, and a boardwalk winds along the creek side of the structures. The old wooden buildings are now souvenir shops since prostitution was made illegal in the 1950s, so it’s touristy, but it was a pleasant walk along the old street. The history of many of the buildings was explained through signs that gave a fair bit of information and made the visit more enjoyable.

 The Salmon in the Creek Mating

One end of Creek Street could only be reached via a bridge over the creek. The stream was shallow and rocky. It didn’t take long to realize that it was a salmon stream. Salmon are big business in the Alaskan Panhandle, as they are in BC. One of the shopkeepers explained that the Chum had just finished running and were the dead fish stinking up the area, and the fish we were seeing in the stream were the next group to head up River – the Spring Salmon. We sighted several pairs milling about in the shaded, shallow water, and it was clear that they were laying and fertilizing their eggs.

 The Harbour Seal and the Salmon

Salmon runs make for good pickings for eagles (of which Alaska has a lot) and other creatures, including harbour seals. We saw one of these at the opening of the stream, lurking in the harbour, catching salmon just as they were about to reach their destination, then surfacing to eat.

 

The Totem Heritage Center

The native culture was familiar to us, because the peoples of the Panhandle are also those of the BC coast. The staff at the Center were knowledgeable and the information signs provided a lot of interesting details on local native history. The Center also teaches the ancient native crafts, including carving and works from some of the students are displayed.