During the 1930s and 40s, a small ship repair facility, an outboard motor shop, commercial logging, a clam cannery, and a barrel-maker were operating. Although the Knudsen Mill and the Yukon Fur Farm continued into the 1960s, the economics of living on the Island became more difficult. The population fell from 60 in 1950 to 26 in 1960. The population has since remained stable. Kupreanof was named after the Island when it incorporated as a second class city in 1975 to forestall annexation by Petersburg and to protect the tranquil, self-sufficient lifestyle that characterizes the community.
Residents use skiffs to travel to Petersburg for goods and services.
The majority of Kupreanof's working residents are self-employed. Some commute by boat to jobs in Petersburg. The City has no paid staff, few services, and no public utilities. Transportation Small boats are the primary means of transportation to, from and within Kupreanof. Boat travel to Petersburg provides connection to that City's transportation services, including jet flights and the State ferry.