He is most famous for co-founding, with Joe Juneau, the city of Juneau, Alaska. The first major gold discovery in Juneau or Douglas Island (across from Juneau) was around 1880. It has been the political capital of Alaska since 1906.
His Native American guide in southeastern Alaska was Chief Kowee. Kowee is credited with discovering much of the Juneau area. Richard and Joe were sent with Kowee by George Pilz, an entrepreneur from Sitka. Harris and Juneau traded with the natives much of their grubstake for hoochinoo. When they returned to Pilz empty-handed, he sent them back to the Juneau area. There, Kowee took them beyond Gold Creek (which today flows beside the Hurff Ackerman Saunders Federal Building and Robert Boochever U.S. Courthouse) to Silver Bow Basin. Today, a creek on Douglas Island is named Kowee Creek.
After the discovery of gold in Juneau, Harris and Juneau loaded approximately 1,000 pounds of gold ore back to Sitka.
The town did not take its current name immediately; originally, it was known as Harrisburg, Pilzburg, and Rockwell. Juneau was able to buy votes from enough of his fellow miners for the name to be changed. Today, Harris Street still exists in Juneau. Harris lived for the remainder of his life in Juneau, before later moved to a nursing home in Oregon, where he died.
richard, harris, prospector, richard, tighe, harris, october, 1833, october, 1907, irish, american, miner, prospector, richard, harrisbornrichard, tighe, harrisoctober, 1833banbridge, county, down, ireland, diedoctober, 1907, aged, oregoneducationgirard, colle. Richard Tighe Harris October 31 1833 October 11 1907 was an Irish American miner and prospector Richard HarrisBornRichard Tighe HarrisOctober 31 1833Banbridge County Down Ireland U K DiedOctober 11 1907 aged 73 OregonEducationGirard CollegeOccupationProspectorKnown forFounding of Juneau Alaska with Joe Juneau Life EditRichard Harris was born in Banbridge County Down Ireland He then attended Girard College a private boarding school in Philadelphia Pennsylvania He is most famous for co founding with Joe Juneau the city of Juneau Alaska The first major gold discovery in Juneau or Douglas Island across from Juneau was around 1880 It has been the political capital of Alaska since 1906 His Native American guide in southeastern Alaska was Chief Kowee Kowee is credited with discovering much of the Juneau area Richard and Joe were sent with Kowee by George Pilz an entrepreneur from Sitka Harris and Juneau traded with the natives much of their grubstake for hoochinoo When they returned to Pilz empty handed he sent them back to the Juneau area There Kowee took them beyond Gold Creek which today flows beside the Hurff Ackerman Saunders Federal Building and Robert Boochever U S Courthouse to Silver Bow Basin Today a creek on Douglas Island is named Kowee Creek After the discovery of gold in Juneau Harris and Juneau loaded approximately 1 000 pounds of gold ore back to Sitka The town did not take its current name immediately originally it was known as Harrisburg Pilzburg and Rockwell Juneau was able to buy votes from enough of his fellow miners for the name to be changed Today Harris Street still exists in Juneau Harris lived for the remainder of his life in Juneau before later moved to a nursing home in Oregon where he died Both Harris and Juneau are buried in the city s Evergreen Cemetery Sources EditUniversity of Alaska Anchorage ArchivesExternal links EditRichard Harris at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard Harris prospector amp oldid 1082744154, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
