(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Petersburg Alaska is in the Wrangell-Petersburg Census Area of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,010.

Geography
Petersburg is located on the north end of Mitkof Island, where the Wrangell Narrows meets Frederick Sound. Petersburg is halfway between Juneau, 190 km (120 miles) to the north, and Ketchikan, 180 km (110 miles) to the south.

The island is largely covered by low mountains, while the lowlands are mainly comprised of muskeg, a type of soil made up of plants in various states of decomposition.

History
The north end of Mitkof Island was a summer fish camp utilized by Kake Tlingits from Kupreanof Island. Some began living year-round at the site, including Chief John Lot.

Petersburg was named after Peter Buschmann, a Norwegian immigrant who arrived in the late 1890s and homesteaded on the north end of the island. He built a cannery (thanks to the plentiful number of icebergs from the nearby LeConte Glacier which would provide a source for cooling fish), a sawmill, and a dock between 1890 and 1900.

His family's homesteads grew into Petersburg which, by 1910 was incorporated and was populated largely by people of Scandinavian origin thus giving Petersburg the nickname "Little Norway". May 17 (Norwegian Constitution Day) is celebrated annually in Petersburg.

Petersburg is one of Alaska's major fishing communities.

Transportation
Since it is located on an island, Petersburg can only be accessed by air or sea.

Petersburg receives service from two separate ferry services: the Inter-Island Ferry Authority and the Alaska Marine Highway.

The Inter-Island Ferry Authority has dedicated daily service with the M/V Stikine on its Coffman Cove-Wrangell-Petersburg-Wrangell-Coffman Cove route. For the Alaska Marine Highway, Petersburg is a stop on its Inside Passage route that sees near-daily service both southbound and northbound to other Southeast Alaskan communities, Bellingham Washington and Prince Rupert, BC Canada.

Small cruise-ships (up to 250 passengers) and private yachts visit from May thru September.

Alaska Airlines serves Petersburg with both cargo and passenger service from the Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport from Ketchikan and Juneau daily, with service ultimately reaching Anchorage and Seattle. Bush carrier L.A.B. Flying Service also offers service to Petersburg from Kake and ultimately Juneau (via Kake). Three charter air companies are available for regional flights.