Community Overview
Population: 438 (2007 DCCED Certified Population)
Incorporation Type: 2nd Class City
Borough Located In: Ketchikan Gateway Borough
School District: Ketchikan Gateway Schools
Regional Native Corporation: Sealaska Corporation

Location:

Saxman is located on the west side of Revillagigedo Island, 2 miles south of Ketchikan on the South Tongass Highway. It lies at approximately 55.318330 North Latitude and -131.595830 West Longitude. (Sec. 33, T075S, R091E, Copper River Meridian.) Saxman is located in the Ketchikan Recording District. The area encompasses 1.0 sq. miles of land and 0.0 sq. miles of water. Saxman lies in the maritime climate zone noted for its warm winters, cool summers, and heavy precipitation. Average summer temperatures range from 46 to 59; average winter temperatures range from 29 to 48. The record high temperature is 97; the record low is -4. Precipitation averages 163 inches per year, including 69 inches of snow.

History :

142 people were living in Saxman. In 1929, the community incorporated as a City. During the 1930s, many totem poles and ceremonial artifacts, such as carvings and masks, were retrieved by the Civilian Conservation Corps from the abandoned villages at Cape Fox, Tongass, Cat Island and Pennock Island. Totem poles were restored and relocated to Saxman as part of a U.S. Forest Service program. A rail-barge terminal at the Saxman Seaport was completed in 1967; it serves as the Ketchikan's major cargo container terminal. In 1886, Tlingits from the old villages of Tongass and Cape Fox wanted a new site to construct a central BIA school and Presbyterian Church. The village subsequently was named for Samuel Saxman, a Presbyterian teacher who was lost at sea with a Cape Fox elder while searching for the new site. By 1894, the new village site was chosen, ideally located on a protected harbor off the Tongass Narrows. A small sawmill was built and construction of the school and houses began immediately. Fishing and cutting lumber for the growing towns of Saxman and Ketchikan were the economic mainstays of the new village. By 1900,

Culture:

Most residents are Tlingit and lead a subsistence lifestyle. A recently-developed totem pole carving center is fostering traditional skills and providing tourism opportunities.

Economy:

Most employment is in Ketchikan. The City and Saxman Seaport provide some employment, and the Cape Fox Corporation offers tourist- and timber-related employment. The Saxman Totem Park has become a major attraction for Ketchikan area visitors. The Park includes a tribal house, a carving center, and a cultural hall for traditional Tlingit dance exhibitions. One resident holds a commercial fishing permit. Deer, salmon and halibut significantly contribute to residents' diets.

Facilities:

Water is derived from a dammed reservoir, is treated and stored in a 128,000-gal. tank. The City of Saxman operates a piped water and sewer system. All homes are plumbed. A new sewage treatment plant and ocean outfall were recently completed. A few homes use individual septic tanks. Refuse is collected by a private company and disposed of at the Ketchikan landfill.

Transportation:

Saxman and Ketchikan are connected by the South Tongass Highway. Scheduled jet and air taxi services are available in Ketchikan. A dock and commercial barge off-loading facilities are available at the Saxman Seaport. The community relies on Ketchikan for its boat moorage and State ferry services.

Climate:

Saxman lies in the maritime climate zone noted for its warm winters, cool summers, and heavy precipitation. Average summer temperatures range from 46 to 59; average winter temperatures range from 29 to 48. The record high temperature is 97; the record low is -4. Precipitation averages 163 inches per year, including 69 inches of snow.