Housing

Southeast Alaska Natives lived in permanent villages of large, well-built communal houses. They spent the winter in their permanent villages. In spring and summer, they moved to seasonal camps near food resources, like fishing streams.

The permanent villages were located along river banks or saltwater beaches for easy access to fish-producing waters. The location of villages gave protection from storms and enemies, provided drinking water, and had a place to launch and land canoes. Houses always faced the water with the backs to the mountains or muskeg/swamps. Most villages had a single row of houses, but some had two or more rows. 

Wood for building and warmth was readily available from Southeast Alaska's rainforests. Homes were built from red cedar, spruce, and hemlock timbers. First, the giant trees were felled using jade, bone, and wood tools. Then, planks were made by splitting the timbers with wedges made from the hard knots of yew wood. The roofs were covered with cedar bark or spruce shingles.  

Houses were rectangular with a gabled roof. These were large multi-family homes, ranging from 35’x50’ to as large as 75'x100'.  As many as 12 families and their slaves lived in a single house. Normally, all the families in a house belonged to the same clan.  A totem pole at the front of the house would tell the clan's history.

The houses had no windows, and one entered through a low door. Each family had a private area separated from the rest by mats that hung from rafters. House occupants shared a central fire, and sleeping benches lined the walls.