Wrangell is located in Wrangell-Petersburg Census Area on the northwest tip of Wrangell Island at the mouth of the Stikine River.
Wrangell is one of the oldest non-Native settlements in Alaska. The city started as a Tlingit native village, but because of its strategic location at the mouth of the Stikine River, was occupied by Russian and British outposts for fur trading. The community continued to grow as an outfitter for gold prospectors, and later fishing and forest products became the primary industries. Its economy is now based on salmon fishing, timber harvest, and tourism.
The Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Center is located in the Stikine Building.
Wrangell Island is southeast of Petersburg, separated by the Zimovia Strait. It is served by the Alaska Marine Highway and Alaska Airlines jet service.
