Geography
Funter Bay is a two‑mile‑long (approximately 3 km) inlet on the western side of Admiralty Island, near the island’s northern tip, in the Alexander Archipelago of southeastern Alaska, United States. The bay lies within the Hoonah–Angoon Census Area of the Unorganized Borough of Alaska and is positioned at roughly 58°14′49″ N latitude and 134°53′41″ W longitude.
Etymology
The name “Funter Bay” was bestowed in 1883 by naturalist William Healey Dall in honor of Robert Funter, a maritime fur trader who explored and mapped portions of the Alaskan coast in 1788 while commanding the vessel North West America.
Historical Significance
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Census History – The bay appeared on the 1890 United States Census as an unincorporated settlement with a population of 25, consisting primarily of Native American residents (20) and a smaller number of White males (5). It was described at the time as a mining camp that also hosted a cannery. No subsequent census records list the community.
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World War II Internment – During World War II, Funter Bay became the site of an internment camp for Aleut peoples who were evacuated from their native islands and relocated over 1,500 miles away. The internees were housed in the abandoned facilities of a former salmon cannery located on a small peninsula projecting into the bay. A separate Aleut camp existed across the water at an old mining site known as St. George. These camps later became the subject of U.S. congressional action, culminating in the Aleut Restitution Act of 1988.
Facilities and Access
The area includes the Funter Bay Seaplane Base (IATA: FNR; ICAO: PANR), a public‑use state‑owned facility that supports general aviation seaplanes. The bay is also adjacent to the Funter Bay State Marine Park, a 162‑acre protected area offering fishing, wildlife viewing, and limited backcountry recreation. Access to the park and surrounding sites is primarily by boat or floatplane.
Ecology and Recreation
Funter Bay’s coastal waters and surrounding forested terrain support typical Southeast Alaskan marine and terrestrial ecosystems, including populations of fish species valued for sport fishing, as well as opportunities for bear viewing and birdwatching. The state marine park’s shoreline features old‑growth temperate rainforest and rocky outcrops.
References
- United States Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Funter Bay.
- Orth, Donald J. (1967). Dictionary of Alaska Place Names. U.S. Government Printing Office.
- Historical census data, 1890 United States Census.
- Aleut Restitution Act of 1988, United States Congress.
- Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Funter Bay State Marine Park information.
