(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Haines Alaska is a city in Haines Borough of Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 1,811. Haines has no municipal government. In November 2002, voters approved a measure consolidating the city of Haines and the Haines Borough into a home rule borough.

History
The area around present-day Haines was called "'Dtehshuh" or "end of the trail" by the Chilkat group of Tlingit. It received this name because they could portage (carry) their canoes from the trail they used to trade with the interior, which began at the outlet of the Chilkat River, to Dtehshuh and save 32 km (20 miles) of rowing around the Chilkat Peninsula. George Dickinson, an agent for the North West Trading Company, settled at Dtehshuh in 1880. In 1881, the Chilkat asked Sheldon Jackson to send missionaries to the area. S. Young Hall, a Presbyterian minister, was sent. He built the Willard mission and school at Dtehshuh, on land given the church by the Chilkat. The mission was renamed Haines in 1884 in honor of Mrs. F. E. Haines, the chairwoman of the committee that raised funds for its construction.

Four canneries were constructed around the mission by 1900. During the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898-1899, Haines grew as a supply center, since the Dalton Trail from Chilkat Inlet offered a route to the Yukon for prospectors. Gold was also discovered 36 miles from Haines in 1899 at the Porcupine District. During this time, the name Haines came into use for the area around the mission and not for just the mission itself. With the finishing of the White Pass and Yukon Route railway in neighboring Skagway, the Dalton Trail was mostly abandoned and Haines declined economically.

Fort William H. Seward, a United States Army installation was constructed south of Haines in 1904, on property donated by the mission from its holdings. In 1922, the fort was renamed Chilkoot Barracks. It was the only United States Army post in Alaska before World War II. During World War II, it was used as a supply point for some U. S. Army activities in Alaska. The fort was deactivated in 1946 and sold as surplus property to a private group who called it Port Chilkoot. In 1970, Port Chilkoot merged with Haines into one municipality. In 1972, the fort was designated a national historic site and the name, Fort William H. Seward, was restored.

The last of the four canneries closed in 1972 due to declining fish stocks. Logging and sawing timber has been an industry around Haines but has declined also in recent years. Tourism is now an important source of income in the community.

Transportation
Haines is much more accessible than most other Southeastern communities of its size, having the advantages of being connected to the North American highway system by the Haines Highway, however snow and ice conditions in the winter and the long driving times can often make this route less-feasible than in theory. The primary mode of inter-Southeastern transportation is by the Alaska Marine Highway. The Lynn Canal route of the ferry system (Juneau-Haines-Skagway) is the only profitable route in the entire system and often receives a large amount of ferry traffic, especially in the summer.

However, the Haines Airport also receives a large amount of traffic as well with three bush carriers serving it with services to Gustavus, Skagway, and Juneau: L.A.B. Flying Service, Wings of Alaska, and Skagway Air Service.

Attractions
Many tourists visit during the annual appearance of bald eagles in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve between October and February.

The community and surrounding area is also extremely popular for outdoor recreation. Rafting in the Chilkat River and hiking in the Takshanuk Mountains (Mount Ripinski and other peaks) are both popular as are the winter recreational opportunities available at and around Chilkat Pass for which Haines serves as a gateway with the Haines Highway. The Davidson Glacier, due to its relatively accessible nature, is also a popular attraction.

Haines also has a number of cultural offerings. Alaska Indian Arts offers demonstrations by traditional craftsmen. History of the town of Haines and the local Tlingit people are featured in the Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center. The Hammer Museum is dedicated to the history of the hammer in human society. The Tsirku Canning Company Museum offers a glimpse of Haines' historic salmon canneries.

Many tourists also visit annually on cruise ships.