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In the late 19th century, a Tlingit chief named Kowee led two drunken prospectors to a creek which emptied into the
Gastineau Channel. After a few hours of panning, the prospectors, Richard Harris and Joe Juneau, found gold. That discovery
changed not only their lives, but the course of history and the face of Alaska itself. On October 4, 1880, Harris and
Juneau laid claim to the area which they called Gold Creek. Their discovery produced one of the largest finds in the
history of the Alaska Gold Rush era. Juneau is nestled between Mount Juneau (3,576 ft.) and Mount Roberts (3,819 ft.) which
gives the town not only a beautiful, scenic setting; but also a natural protection against the cold winds and permafrost,
which are so much a part of life in Alaska. Glaciers like Mendenhall, Taku and Herbert help contribute not only to the mild
climate in Juneau, but also to Juneau's isolation from the rest of Alaska. In 1912, the capital of Alaska was moved from
Sitka to Juneau, where it has remained ever since. Its inability to expand has caused many to seek to change the capital to
Anchorage, but for now, all such effort have failed. Although the federal buildings dot the horizon, Juneau has maintained
most of its original gold rush architectural heritage because the town has not suffered any major fires, unlike many of
Alaska's other gold rush towns. The historic district, in downtown Juneau, is filled with buildings and houses as colorful
as its past.
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