A mother bear and her three cubs crossing a rocky stream in a forest.

Landback

Across Wrangell History

As one of the earliest communities occupied by settlers, Wrangell has been at the forefront over the debate around Alaska Native land claims.


Map of Wrangell Cannery Fish Traps along Prince of Wales Island and surrounding areas in Alaska, showing numbered locations and the Wrangell Cannery marked with a star.

Fish Trapped: Salmon Streams of Wrangell’s APA Cannery

To understand how the Alaska Packers Association cannery in Wrangell produced tons of canned salmon each year, here are the freshwater streams that provided the salmon.


Painting of an older man with a beard, wearing formal clothing, looking to the side.

Landback 1890: The Tlingit Hire a Laywer

In 1890, President Benjamin Harrison (above) received a letter written by a lawyer representing “the Indians of South Eastern Alaska.” This is often recognized as the first legal step in the fight for Alaska Native land claims.


An old black-and-white photograph of a man wearing a suit and tie, with a serious expression, standing outdoors against a plain background.

Landback 1898: Kadashan Confronts the Past

In 1898, John Kadashan of Fort Wrangel was among the Tlingit leaders to confront Governor John G. Brady about their stolen fishing streams.


Black and white photo of an elderly man wrapped in a blanket, sitting near a wall with decorative patterns.

Landback 1899: The Right to Kick

When the Alaska Packers Association seized another salmon stream in 1899, Tlingit leaders from Fort Wrangel wrote a letter in protest, and passed the torch to a new generation.