The population of Ketchikan is approximately 8,050, according to the 2010 census, and is expected to reach 8,187 by 2020. The city was founded 121 years ago, in 1900. The borough is located on the Ketchikan River, making it the most southeastern major settlement in Alaska. The downtown area is a National Historic District. The city is home to the Tongass National Forest headquarters.
A city government in Ketchikan is based on a council-manager system. The current mayor of Ketchikan is Lew Williams III. The city is located within the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, which includes the cities of Saxman and Ketchikan. Ketchikan is the headquarters of the Alaska Marine Highway System, which is the main transportation system in the state.
The town is known as a tourist destination. Its natural beauty is breathtaking, and it offers world-class arts and culture. Residents can find affordable living and a wide range of amenities in this coastal town. Those with a taste for history will be interested in visiting the city's Dolly's House Museum. The town also has an international airport. A small community with big city amenities, Ketchikan is home to many people.
The Ketchikan Shipyard includes two dry-docks. It is a subsidiary of Vigor Industrial, which is responsible for the production of the M/V Susitna, a prototype ferry craft for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The ship was launched in April 2010 as the result of years of planning by Admiral Jay M. Cohen, former chief of the Office of Naval Research, and Lew Madden, a project manager for Lockheed Martin.