Kasaan, Alaska

Kasaan /kəˈsæn/ (Haida: Gasa'áan; Tlingit: Kasa'aan) is a city in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. The population was 39 at the 2000 census. The name "Kasaan" comes from Tlingit kasa'aan, meaning "pretty town".

History

Kasaan is one of the main historical communities of the Kaigani Haida. Residents moved from their former village on Skowl Arm, now called Old Kasaan, starting in 1893 and mostly in the period 1902-1904. This migration was prompted by the promise of jobs and a school occasioned by development of copper mining and a cannery near the present location. Kasaan was established as a city in 1976.

Geography

Kasaan is located at 55°32′30″N 132°24′7″W / 55.54167°N 132.40194°W / 55.54167; -132.40194 (55.541748, -132.401821).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16 km²), of which, 5.3 square miles (14 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it (14.58%) is water.

Kasaan means "pretty town" in the Tlingit language.