Hollis, Alaska
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Unincorporated
Population: 139
Hollis Community Council: 907-530-7043
The name Hollis first appeared in a 1904 by H. C. Fassat, an agent from the U.S. bureau of fisheries. From the 1890's it was a cracker jack mining camp reportedly named Hollis City, after one of the mine's founders, A. Hollis White. Beginning as a gold mining community with several active mines, from 1901 to 1920 its population stayed around 1,000. It had a post office from 1901 to 1942, as well as a hotel and bank. All eight of the mines are closed and they, along with the original town have been swallowed up by rain forest.
In 1953, Hollis became a logging camp when Ketchikan Pulp Co. began its first logging camp on Prince of Wales. The camp was later moved to Thorne Bay in 1962. Most of the present town of Hollis occupies land purchased through a state lottery in the early 1980's. As Hollis is the Port o'Call for all ferry traffic, it is the beginning and the end of the road. Two miles from the ferry terminal a sign points to Hollis.
Perhaps the most notable feature about Hollis is the prolific rain forest that grows in the area. The rugged mountain peaks and river valleys are covered with lush green forests which lead down to quiet, sheltered bays dotted with small islands. To the casual observer Hollis looks untouched, but upon closer look one finds that much of it was logged over forty years ago, and yet because the forest regrows naturally on Prince of Wales, Hollis is surrounded by healthy second growth forest. One also finds world class Coho, Pink and Chum Salmon and Steelhead fishing on the Maybeso Creek and Harris River.
Written by Yolanda & Morgan Kelly
