Alaska Trip - Tenakee Springs (Part 2)

Tenakee Springs gets it name from the natural hot springs located here. First used by the Tlingit Native Americans, the hot springs are now enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. A bathhouse is centrally located and adjacent to the main road through town. A history of the bathhouse is provided HERE.

Many of the residents don’t have bathing facilities in their homes, so they use the bathhouse for personal hygiene and also for catching up on community news. The building stays cozy warm inside, thanks to the mineral water’s temperature of approximately 107 degrees Fahrenheit.

As part of community’s July 4th festivities, the Tenakee Bath Improvement Project had several fundraising activities. In addition to an art raffle and silent auction, three other events raised a grand total of $3157.70 - the beer garden, the jail, and slug toss.

The beer garden was promoted as “a charity that had its own reward.” The jail was noted as a “time when criminals and law enforcement worked together for the common good.” I was especially disappointed that our arrival was too late for the slug toss. The sign on the bathhouse noted on this event “a yukky thanks for the participants as well as the slugs who gave it their all.”

Small town America, Alaska style – you got to love it!

P.S. If you don't know what a slug looks like, please search for a Google image. Old-time gardeners like me are quite familiar with them! In Alaska, slugs are very large. So imagine picking those slimy creatures up and then throwing/catching them. Get the idea now?