Kasaan (; ) is a city in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, Kasaan had a population of 30. The name "Kasaan" comes from Tlingit , meaning "pretty town".

Kasaan is the headquarters of the Organized Village of Kasaan, a federally recognized Alaska Native tribe of Haida people.

History

Kasaan is one of the main historical communities of the Kaigani Haida. It is the northernmost Haida settlement. It was established by the Haida in protohistoric times or earlier, as part of a migration across the Dixon Entrance, from Dadens and other villages of Langara Island, Haida Gwaii, to Dall Island and Prince of Wales Island.

Old Kasaan was completely abandoned by 1904, and the remains were partly destroyed by fire in 1915. The site was declared a national monument in 1916, though Old Kasaan National Monument was largely neglected and a planned restoration was not done. In 1938 five historic and three replica totem poles were moved to New Kasaan. The relocated totem poles and a relocated house in New Kasaan were designated the Chief Son-I-Hat's Whale House and Totems Historic District in 2002.

Geography

Kasaan is located at (55.541748, -132.401821).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (14.58%) is water.

Demographics

Kasaan first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an unincorporated Native village. It formally incorporated in 1976.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Kasaan had a population of 30. The median age was 39.5 years. 33.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 30.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 114.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 185.7 males age 18 and over.

There were 10 households in Kasaan, of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.0% were married-couple households, 50.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 0.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 19 || 63.3%

|-

| Black or African American || 0 || 0.0%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 8 || 26.7%

|-

| Asian || 0 || 0.0%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 1 || 3.3%

|-

| Some other race || 0 || 0.0%

|-

| Two or more races || 2 || 6.7%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 3 || 10.0%

|}

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 39 people, 17 households, and 12 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 39 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 20 White residents, 15 Native American, and 4 from two or more races; 1 resident was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 17 households, out of which 3 had children under the age of 18 living with them, 11 were married couples living together, 1 had a female householder with no husband present, and 5 were non-families. 4 households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.75.

See also

  • List of Haida villages

References

  • City of Kasaan, official website
  • Organization Village of Kasaan, federally recognized tribe
  • Frank Norris. A Victim of Nature and Bureaucracy: The Short, Sad History of Old Kasaan National Monument NPS, 2000
  • Company store and other buildings, Kasaan, ca 1912