7/30 – 7-31
Haines is a gorgeous little town (population about 2500) situated on the picturesque Chilkoot Inlet of the Lynn Canal – one of the longest and deepest fjords in the world. Haines harbor, however, is too shallow to allow the huge cruise ships to dock and thus the town has been fortuitously spared the mass inundation of tourists which has turned Skagway into horror. Haines is home to an unusually large number of artists, sculptors, authors and other creative types who relish Haines’ seclusion.
Among the many fine small galleries and museums the Sheldon Museum and the Hammer Museum stand out. The Sheldon Museum collects, preserves and interprets the history, art and cultures of the Chilkat Valley region; there are two galleries which exhibit the native and non-native settlement of the area and cover all aspects of Tlingit Native Culture.
Dave Pahl, whom the Smithsonian Institution considers the leading authority on hammers, started the Hammer Museum, which contains over 7500 hammers (only 1500 are on display), in 2002. . It is a delightful display and the intern, Alia, who was infectiously bubbling with enthusiasm and knowledge enthralled us for more than an hour with stories about the various hammers.
Haines, and the Chilkat River Valley region boasts the world’s largest concentration of Bald Eagles. Each Fall more than 3500 Bald Eagles migrate to the area but even during our stay they seemed almost as abundant as sparrows.