The Last Saloon Before the Wilderness: A Ketchikan Audio Tour

Ketchikan has always drawn people chasing gold, fish, fortune, or a fresh start, and not everyone succeeded. This self-guided audio tour surfaces the scandals and tragedies cruise lines skip, and how Indigenous people, immigrants, and workers pushed back against exploitation. From the Rock statue, you'll pass Harding's 1923 Masonic cornerstone site, the courthouse behind two Supreme Court cases, and the firehouse, now Uncharted Distillery, linked to a fire chief's disguised return to set more fires. The route continues to Creek Street, the red-light district, for the truth about Dolly the Sporting Woman, and the New York Cafe, whose Japanese-American owner survived WWII internment thanks to neighbors, ending at East Street Pier overlooking Pennock Island, Tongass National Forest, and the cruise ships.

1. 1

   Stop 1

   Pass by

   The route takes you past The Rock, a bronze monument unveiled near the cruise ship docks in 2010, its seven life-size figures depicting the loggers, miners and fishers who shaped early Ketchikan. Any costs related to visiting the area are not covered in this tour.

2. 2

   Stop 2

   Pass by

   You'll walk past Pioneer Cafe on Mission Street, a diner decorated with Route 66 memorabilia that has fed Ketchikan's fishing and logging crews for decades. Any costs related to making purchases at the cafe are not covered in this tour.

3. 3

   Dolly's House Museum

   Pass by

   You may spot Dolly's House on Creek Street, home and workplace of madam Dolly Arthur from 1919 until the district closed in 1954, now a museum with her original furnishings intact. Please note that admission to the museum is not included in this tour.

4. 4

   Creek Street

   Pass by

   The route crosses Creek Street in Ketchikan, a boardwalk built on pilings that served as the town's red-light district until 1954. Any costs related to visiting the area or making purchases there are not covered in this tour.

5. 5

   Potlatch Bar

   Pass by

   You'll pass by the Potlatch Bar, built in the 1930s and reputed to be Ketchikan's oldest bar still standing in its original spot on Thomas Basin. Any costs related to making purchases at the bar are not covered in this tour.

6. 6

   Stop 6

   Pass by

   Passing East Street, you'll see the pier where Ketchikan's fishing fleet still moors, at the edge of the historic Stedman-Thomas waterfront district. Any costs related to visiting the area are not covered in this tour.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.