Juneau, Solomon Laurent, 1793-1856, French Canadian fur trader and founder of Milwaukee, Wis., b. near Montreal. In 1818, as an agent of the American Fur Company, he moved to their new post at Milwaukee. He amassed a fortune in independent trade, acquired large tracts of land there, and was revered by the indigenous population. He became an American citizen in 1831. He surveyed the town site, built the first store and first tavern, became Milwaukee's first postmaster (1835) and first president of the village (1837). His fortune was reduced by the Panic of 1837, but he remained a leading citizen of Milwaukee, becoming its first mayor in 1846.

Juneau, city (1990 pop. 26,751), state capital, SE Alaska, in the Alaska Panhandle; settled by gold miners 1880, inc. 1900. A port on Gastineau Channel, Juneau is a trade center for the Panhandle area, with an ice-free harbor and an airport. The state and federal governments are the major employers. Salmon and halibut fishing, mining, and tourism are also important economic activities.

Joseph Juneau and a partner discovered gold nearby in 1880, and the city developed as a gold rush town. It was officially designated as capital of the Territory of Alaska in 1900 but did not function as such until the government offices were moved from Sitka in 1906. In 1959 it became state capital with the admission of Alaska to the Union.

Juneau lies at the foot of two spectacular peaks, Mt. Juneau and Mt. Roberts. Douglas Island, a part of the city, lies across the channel. The huge boxlike Federal Building dominates the skyline. The Alaska Historical Library and Museum and the Alaska State Museum are in the city. In 1970 the municipal boundaries were extended, then making Juneau the largest city in area in the United States, at 3,108 sq mi (8,050 sq km). Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (see National Parks and Monuments, table) is to the northwest.

City (pop., 2000: 30,711), capital of Alaska, U.S. Located in southeastern Alaska, it was settled in 1880 when Joe Juneau and Richard Harris discovered gold nearby. Mining was important until the Alaska-Juneau gold mine closed in 1944. Juneau was made the state capital in 1959. Fishing, forestry, and government activities are important, as is tourism. In 1970 Juneau merged with Douglas, on an island across the channel, to form the largest U.S. city in area (3,108 sq mi [8,050 sq km]).

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