Founded 1960's / Incorporated 1982

Population est. 495 / City Hall 907-828-3380

 www.thornebayalaska.net / www.thornebay-ak.gov

Thorne Bay is on eastern Prince of Wales Island. It's linked by 59 miles of paved road to the ferry terminal in Hollis and 36 miles of blacktop to Klawock. Visitors can also fly into Thorne Bay from Ketchikan on several floatplane services

 

The town rests on gentile hills overlooking its namesake bay, where Alaska Natives made homes centuries ago. Thorne Bay residents take pride in their beautiful surroundings.

 

Employees of the Ketchikan Pulp Co. brought their floating logging camp to shore here in 1961. The community was the largest logging camp in the world for several years. In 1962, residents incorporated the city; Thorne Bay is governed by a mayor and city council.

 

Visitors entering on the main road find a unique welcome sign housed in "the claw"- one of the worlds largest log-handling grapples. The plaza includes plaques and a city map directing visitors to retail businesses offering clothing, gifts, gas, groceries, hardware, liquor, marine supplies, fishing tackle, outboards and boats, propane and appliances and tire repair.

 

Services in the community include a boat harbor with a launch, boat grid, public restroom and shower facilities, and daily floatplane service. Medical facilities, EMS via 911 and several churches serve the community. A U.S. post office and the U.S. Forest Service Thorne Bay Ranger District office are in the city. The community map is at businesses in town and is on the Thorne Bay Businesses Association's web site at www.thornebayalaska.net. The city of Thorne BAy posts civic information at www.thornebay-ak.gov.

 

Fishing, clamming and beachcombing are close by in the bay, up the Thorne River and off Sandy Beach Road. Overnight accommodations are available at bed and breakfast facilities, lodges and the city's RV park. Visitors can rent a car or boat or charter fish from Thorne Bay.

 

Thorne Bay is the access point for the popular Honker Divide Canoe Route. An archeologically significant 5,360-year-old spruce root basket-the "Thorne River Basket"-was found in the estuary of the Thorne River in 1998. It is preserved in the Alaska State Museum in Juneau.