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Craig started as a temporary fish camp. The village was founded on salmon, and salmon is what keeps it alive today. Mild curing of salmon began on nearby Fish Egg Island in April 1907. Lindenberger Brothers of Hamburg, Germany were represented by Craig Miller who packed a number of boxes of salmon for them. Operations on Fish Egg Island flourished and in 1908 Millar constructed a permanent fish station on a nearby larger island. In the spring of 1911 Lindenberger Packing began freezing fish and by 1912 their salmon cannery was the second largest in Alaska and the third largest on the Pacific coast.
The little village of Fish Egg was officially named Craig, after Craig Millar, in 1912.
Salmon provided a livelihood for most of the residents as most were either fisherman, cannery workers or associated with the fishing business in one way or another. But by the mid-1960's Craig was a slowly dying fishing village due to poor salmon runs and the closure of canneries except one that operated in Klawock.
Centrally located, Craig, provides Westcoast fisherman with fuel, groceries, and hardware. Located there also are bars, restaurants, library, post office, and a Laundromat. In July 1973 the First National Bank of Ketchikan opened the first bank on the island here.
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