Petersburg, Alaska is a fishing community sometimes known as The Little Norway. Located in the Panhandle of Alaska, 20 miles from LeConte Glacier it was developed beginning around 1898 by Peter Buschmann, who, seeing ice bergs afloat in Fredrick Sound, first built a sawmill, and then a Sea Fish Processing plant utilizing the Ice bergs to send fresh Salmon South. The community has been in continuous production of processing fish ever since. Logging also had an industry until recent years when the forests were closed. A small lumber mill was noted during our travel.
Some of the boats are aglitter for the charter fisherman, some are camouflaged for hunting. Most are involved in the fishing business, for purposes of sustenance fishing allowed Alaska residents, transporting fish from commercial vessels at sea or at port having delivered fish, or about to go catch some more..
Petersburg itself has a Stationed Coast Guard Vessel, a police and court system, US Forest Service Offices, (We had a brief meeting with the sports fishing representative who informed us of the current hot spots), a hospital, a museum, an elder care facility, a boys and girls club, three major fish processing facilities, numerous parks, a selection of gift shops, a very extensive hardware store, two supermarkets, at least two drinking establishments, schools through the 12th grade, a city works department, mayor, city council, etc. For a community of just barely over 3000 residents it is serviced by Alaska Airlines, the rather costly Alaska Ferry system, and several small cruise ships. The mega cruise ships cannot safely enter the harbor so the untarnished down home flavor of a 110 year old fishing community has evolved into the 21st Century with a quiet hard working, self sufficient family community. Each year for several months during the fishing season in Summer, some 500 multi-ethnic workers from all over the world migrate to Petersburg to work in the canneries. In years past we're told residents of Petersburg collected $11.00 an hour in a unionized shop, some retiring from the canneries. The unions were broken, the global worker force now get Alaska's minimum wage with time and a half for overtime. Allegedly, from the canneries application for work and frequently asked questions page, workers might expect to have double shifts on the "slime line", be housed and fed and sent home in time to return to their educations in time for school to start. While we did not pursue the subject, we did hear a couple of comments which would suggest there is a level of resentment and animosity among the townspeople regarding the Big Impartial Investment Companies with a toe hold on the harbor, while the labor dollars leave the community with workers who paid for their own transportation in and out. It is possible to travel to Petersburg by Air or sea only. While we waited at the airport on August 24th, a variety of ethnic peoples entered the small terminal. With some difficulties, the terminal workers facing language barriers did their best to secure seating for those who were told they would be out of work in early September. The fishing season had not been as productive at sea in 2009.
No place is without its problems. Petersburg, Alaska sadly, has not escaped globalization .
Loading...
3:05
Little Norway, Petersburg Alaska short tourby oldandfound13,056 views
Double-u
Tee
Eff
?
morelshaman 2 years ago