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History
Prince Rupert is the Gateway City for Southeast Alaska and the fishing center of the Northwest. Prince Rupert is the terminal for auto/passenger ferries to and from Alaskan coastal communities, the Queen Charlotte Islands and Vancouver Island. Its harbor is the 3rd largest ice-free harbor in the world.
The 17,500 inhabitants of this city enjoy a marine climate with summer temperatures in the mid 70’s, and winter temperatures in the 30’s. Situated on Kaien Island at the mouth of the Skeena River, Prince Rupert is 170 ft. above sea level and has an average annual precipitation of 95 inches..
Incorporated in 1910, the city began as a tent camp and western construction terminal for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, which became the Canadian National Railway. Later the CNR Docks were added and the city became a major seaport for foreign ships taking on exports such as fish and timber products.
“Prince Rupert” was a cousin of Charles II of England – He was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia and was the first governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company although he never visited Canada.
It was trade that brought Europeans into direct and lasting contact with the First Nations of the coast. British and American ships visited in search of the prized sea otter pelts but eventually the real wealth here was salmon, the bounty of the sea that formed the foundation of the First Nations lifeways. By the end of the 19th century dozens of cannery villages were scattered throughout this area to take advantage of the rich salmon runs of the Skeena and Nass rivers. The selection of Kaien Island and the Port of Prince Rupert as the terminus of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, and the arrival of the first surveyors on the future site of Prince Rupert in 1906, was the beginning of today’s city.
Today, the city of Prince Rupert remains at the edge of wilderness, secure in a sheltered inner harbour and protected by a rim of islands along the famed Inside Passage. We are a diverse mix of people, with varied interests, and guests often comment on the rich cosmopolitan culture found in our city. Superb museums and outstanding attractions defy our small population and remote location, and our lives are enriched by an extraordinary visual and performing arts community. Scenery, wildlife, sportfishing, heritage, and culture are part of our daily life.