Latitude 60 North Alaska: Cannery Ruins at Taku

Cannery Ruins Art Gallery, Taku Harbor

Got d' Fever and Uno at Taku Harbor Dock

We arrived in Taku Harbor on Mother’s Day, May 10^th, at 4:20pm with enough daylight left to explore the ruins ashore of an old cannery operation from the early 1900’s. Boaters can anchor in the bay or tie-up at the well maintained guest dock for easy access to shore. In addition to the ruins, a Forest Service Cabin is available for rent for those wanting a wilderness experience.

Fresh Water Supply, Taku

These cabins are quite popular throughout Alaska for tourists and locals alike. The cabins have wood-burning stoves, picnic tables, and built-in wooden bunks. The last entry in the guest book was on the day we arrived, signed by a couple from Ecuador who were touring the area by boat. Our friend Phil told us that it is a tradition to leave something for the cabin.

Cannery Boiler and Empty Home, Taku

We still had firewood that we had purchased in Anacortes, Washington to use for roasting marshmallow’s but never used the wood, we took the bundle of wood up to the cabin and left it by the stove for someone else to enjoy. Taku was once the site of a Hudson’s Bay trading post established in 1840 and was named after a band of the Tlingit Tribe.

Silent Voices in the Wilderness

Cannery Ruins, Taku Harbor

There are no remains from this era but the old cannery ruins are quite interesting – several homes, bunkhouses, the old pier, and pieces of equipment can be found throughout the area.