Craig is located on a small island off the west coast of Prince of
Wales Island, and is connected by a short causeway. It is 5 miles south
of Klawock, by road. It lies 56 miles northwest of Ketchikan, 750 air
miles north of Seattle, 220 miles south of Juneau, and 750 air miles
southwest of Anchorage. It lies at approximately 55° 28' N Latitude,
133° 09' W Longitude (Sec. 06, T074S, R081E, Copper River Meridian). The
community is located in the Ketchikan Recording District. The area
encompasses 6 sq. miles of land and 3 sq. miles of water.
The
Tlingit and Haida peoples have historically utilized the area around
Craig for its rich resources. A fish saltery was built on nearby Fish
Egg Island in 1907 by Craig Miller. Between 1908 and 1911, he
constructed the Lyndenburger Packing Company and cold storage plant at
the present site of Craig. In 1912, a post office, a school, a sawmill,
and a salmon cannery were constructed. Excellent pink salmon runs
contributed to the development and growth of the community through the
late 1930s. During the 1950s, the fishing industry collapsed due to
depleted salmon runs. In 1972, Ed Head built a large sawmill six miles
from Craig near Klawock, which provided year-round jobs and helped to
stabilize the economy. Head Mill was sold in the early 1990s to Viking
Lumber.
