You’ll find Port Alexander at the southeastern lower tip of Baranof Island. Located in the Prince of Wales-Hyder area, the population doesn’t even breech 100 people. However, it’s well worth the short drive due to its scenic beauty and rich history. There was a time at the turn of the last century when Port Alexander was relatively bustling with a population of 2,500 people.

Before the 1920s, the town was considered the salmon fishing capital of the world. However, things began to change in 1936 when the town was incorporated. It was folded into the Greater Sitka Borough in 1963, after the Alaska Mandatory Borough Act. When the original municipality was replaced with Sitka’s governance, the residents quickly began to dissolve their relationship with the new government. In 1974, the town reincorporated as a “second class city.”

 

Where Fishing is King

 

Port Alexander is the only established city this far south of the island. Although it makes up less than 25 percent of the island’s land area at just 15.1 square miles, it remains a popular destination for fishing—for those in the know.

 

Just 3.8 square miles of the town is land, and although it’s technically an oceanic climate it offers relatively dry and mild summers. Ask your local tourism company about fishing in Port Alexander, and you’ll be treated to a peaceful, isolated getaway that’s not far from your Sitka hotel.