Sitka Swept Up In History
Human use of this world of
islands, rivers and ocean has
changed dramatically in the last
two hundred years.
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8000 B.C.-Present Indians reside along southeast Alaska coastline and Salmon rivers. | |
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1582 Francisco Gali of Spain reports reaching American shores at 57 deg. north latitude (near present day Sitka) |
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1620 Puritans land at Plymouth 1776 Americans declare Independence |
1741 Vitus Bering's expedition from Russia makes first recorded discovery of the northwestern coast of North America. |
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1784 Russians establish the first trading post and permanent settlement in North America on Kodiak island. |
1778 James Cook of great Britain explores this area and names the extinct volcano across Sitka Sound- Mt. Edgecumbe. |
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1779 Russia charters the Russian- American Company and appoints Alexander Baranov as chief manager in America: Baranoff establishes a fort, Redoubt St. Michael |
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1802 Tlingit Attack and destroy Redoubt St. Michael |
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1804-1806 Lewis and Clark explore the Louisiana Purchase and lands west to Pacific Ocean. |
1804 Baranov returns from Kodiak; He leads attack of Tlingit fort at Indian River; He establishes New Archangel (Sitka) at Castle Hill. |
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1849 California gold rush begins. |
1806 New Archangel (Sitka) becomes capitol and administrative headquarters for "Russian America" |
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1861 Civil war breaks out in the United States |
1867 United States purchases Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million: Transfer takes place at Sitka. |
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1912 Alaska becomes a United States Territory. |
1872 |
| 1959 | |
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1964 Alaska's good Friday earthquake occurs |
1962 Old Sitka is named a National Historical Landmark. |
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1968 Oil is discovered in Prudhoe Bay. |
Native Residents
Indians have resided along the northwestern
coast of North America for
thousands of years. They made the
rocky shorelines, islands and river
courses home, subsisting on ocean and
forest rescources. The Tlingit (Klingk et)
Indian name for this site is Gjaa Haan,
"Water coming from way up".
Explorers
During the global era of exploration,
discovery and colonization, worldwide
attention was drawn to this area.
Spanish, British and Russian, French and
American expeditions were commissioned
to the Pacific Northwest during
the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, The discovery of sea otters
led to the international competetion
to control the northwest trade.
Promyshlenniki
Since the 1740's, Russian Promyshlenniki
(Pro.mish len.neck ee),for hunters and
traders, were moving eastward along the
Alaska coastline from the Aleution
Islands as they searched for new
sources of sea otter. They established
Russian post along the way and began
lively trading. Aleut, Koniag, Kenitzai,
and Chugach natives were drafted into
the Russian sea otter hunting service.
Americans
Soon after the American purchase of
Alaska, Gold was discovered near Sitka.
A new era of exploration, discovery and
settlement began. This era continues
today as the development of Alaska's
natural and mineral resources spurs the
state's economic growth.
