Fort William H. Seward

Fort William H. Seward
View of Fort William H. Seward from Chilkoot Inlet, including the beach below and mountains in the background.
LocationPort Chilkoot, Haines, Alaska
Coordinates59°13′37″N 135°26′38″W / 59.22694°N 135.44389°W / 59.22694; -135.44389
Built1902 (1902)
NRHP reference No.72000190
AHRS No.SKG-001
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 11, 1972
Designated NHLDJune 2, 1978
Designated AHRS1970

Fort William H. Seward, also known as Chilkoot Barracks and Haines Mission, is a site at Port Chilkoot in Haines Borough, Alaska, about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) from the city of Haines. It was the last of a series of 11 military posts established in Alaska during the gold rush era, and was Alaska's only military facility between 1925 and 1940. It provided a policing presence for miners moving into the gold mining areas in the Alaskan interior, and a military presence during negotiations over the nearby international border with Canada. The fort is named for William H. Seward, the United States Secretary of State who oversaw the Alaska purchase.