- Joe Juneau (prospector)
(across from Juneau) was circa 1880. It has been the political capital of Alaska since 1906.
The town was originally called Harrisburg or Harrisburgh, and then Rockwell. Miners often called it "'Rockwell' also known as 'Harrisburg'" in their mining records. There was also a proposal to name the town Pilzburg for mining engineer
George Pilz . It did not take up its current name until a miners' meeting on December 14, 1881. The name Juneau received 47 of the 72 votes cast while Harrisburg received 21 votes and Rockwell only 4. [http://www.kinyradio.com/placenam.html] Joe Juneau reportedly paid townsfolk to name the city in his honor. [http://www.travelalaska.com/media/History-Culture.pdf]Joe Juneau traveled to
Dawson City, Yukon during theKlondike Gold Rush of the 1890s. He usually spent gold as fast as he got it but at the end of his life he owned a smallrestaurant in Dawson. Juneau died ofpneumonia in March, 1899 in Dawson. His body was brought back to the town that bears his name and was buried in the city's Evergreen Cemetery on August 16, 1903.His uncle was
Solomon Juneau who founded the city ofMilwaukee ,Wisconsin .Fact|date=May 2008ee also
*
Juneau mining district External links
* [http://www.library.state.ak.us/goldrush/stories/joejunea.htm Gold Rush Stories]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GScid=174229&GRid=6201725&pt=Joe%20Juneau& Joe Juneau at Find-A-Grave]
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