4707. Geography. – Kasaan is a native village located on the eastern coast of Prince of Wales Island, which is in the extreme south-eastern part of Alaska, one of the territories of the United States.
Architecture.—This village contains one of the best collections of totem poles now in existence. These poles are grotesquely carved and collared and represent the ancestors of the family before whose door they stand. They thus serve two purposes, as a monument to the dead and as a coat of arms or family tree for the living.
Transportation.—These canoes are staunch and seaworthy although they are made on the same style and general lines that the natives have used for many, many years. They were formerly used as war canoes and even now the natives of this island venture far out to sea in them. It is said that just such boats as you see here formed the copy from which the original clipper model
Political, Social and Economic History. – The coast of this part of America was discovered by a Russian expedition Bering in 1741 and remained a Russian territory until it was purchased by the United States
Government in 1867 for $7,200,000. Alaska was made a territory in 1912 and given the privilege of local government.
Refer again to this view when considering Zone Life, Races of Mankind, People and Homes, Manual Training.
Kasaan Village, Alaska.
Le Village de Kasaan, Alaska, A. du N.
Dor f Kasaan, Alaska, X. A.
La Aldea Kasaan, Alaska, A. del N.
Kasaan en by i Alaska, N. A.