Hoonah is a close-knit, family-oriented place where people are friendly and caring. Some people call it "The Little City with a Big Heart".

Demographics
It is the largest Tlingit village in Alaska. About 70% of its 850 residents are of Alaska Native heritage.

Economy
Fishing has always been the mainstay of Hoonah's economy. Well over 100 residents hold commercial fishing permits. Fish and timber related businesses, federal and state jobs, and tourism also add to the economy.

Government

Hoonah was incorporated as a first-class city under territorial law in 1946. It has a Mayor/City Council form of government housed at City Hall.
(907) 945-3663

Native issues are generally governed by the federally recognized Hoonah Indian Association.
(907) 945-3545

Education

Parents as Teachers and Head Start Programs are provided for preschoolers. The Hoonah City School System includes Grades K - 12 and an Adult Education department. Various organizations, cultural events and classes teach the Tlingit culture to young and old, keeping Native traditions alive.

ANB and ANS Halls

Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood Halls play a very important roll in the social life of towns in Alaska. Here in Hoonah people gather for weddings, funerals, award dinners, traditional gatherings called potlatches, bazaars, town meetings, Christmas programs, fund raisers, flea markets, and more.

Youth Center

The Mary & William Johnson Hoonah Youth Center houses the Big Brothers Big Sisters office.

Did You Know?

The Tongass National Forest, which includes Chichagof Island on which Hoonah is located, is named for the Tongass clan of the Tlingit people. It is the largest National Forest in the US, about the size of Indiana.