The Sitka Channel is a strait that separates Japonski Island from Baranof Island in Alaska .
83-410: The Sitka Channel, or more commonly referred to as simply The Channel by locals, is a notable feature of Sitka, Alaska that separates vital portions of infrastructure located on the peripheral Japonski Island from the rest of the community. Until 1972 the commute was only achievable through a schedule of shore boats that carried an estimated 1,000 people a day for 26 years. The ferries were retired when
166-468: A Raven mask and armed with a blacksmith's hammer, surged out of Shis'kí Noow and engaged the attacking force in hand-to-hand combat; a second wave of Tlingit emerged from the adjacent woods in a " pincer " maneuver. Baranov was seriously injured and the Russians fell back to the water's edge, just as Neva opened fire to cover the retreat. Twelve of the attackers were killed and many others injured during
249-506: A State of Alaska-run boarding high school for rural, primarily Native students, is located on Japonski Island adjacent to University of Alaska Southeast. One private school is available in Sitka: Sitka Adventist School. Battle of Sitka The Battle of Sitka ( Russian : Сражение при Ситке ; 1804) was the last major armed conflict between Russians and Alaska Natives , and was initiated in response to
332-482: A city, rendering the division by the census bureau for 1910 moot. In 1920, Sitka became the 4th largest city in the territory. In 1930, it fell to 7th place with 1,056 residents. Of those, 567 reported as Native, 480 as White and 9 as Other. In 1940, it rose to 5th place, but did not report a racial breakdown. In 1950, it reported as the 9th largest community in Alaska (6th largest incorporated city). It did not report
415-540: A clear day. On April 22, 2022, the Alaska Volcano Observatory reported that: [a] swarm of earthquakes was detected in the vicinity of Mount Edgecumbe volcano beginning on Monday, April 11, 2022. There were hundreds of small quakes in the swarm, though the large majority were too small to locate. Over the past few days, earthquake activity has declined and is currently at background levels. [...] The recent swarm inspired an in-depth analysis of
498-504: A factor that made ultimate victory seem less likely. The Tlingit concluded that a change in tactics was in order: rather than suffer the ignominy of defeat on the battlefield, they formulated a strategy wherein the Clan would disappear into the surrounding forest (where they felt that the Russians could not engage them) and establish a new settlement on the northern part of the island. Neva and her escorts resumed their day-long bombardment of
581-605: A high wooden palisade with three watchtowers (armed with 32 cannons) for defense against Tlingit attacks. By the summer of 1805, a total of 8 buildings had been erected inside the compound, including workshops, barracks, and the Governor's Residence. Aside from their annual expeditions to "Herring Rock" near the mouth of the Indian River, the Kiks.ádi by-and-large steered clear of the ever-expanding settlement until 1821, when
664-573: A large force, including Yuri Lisyansky 's Neva . The ship bombarded the Tlingit fortification on the 20th, but was not able to cause significant damage. The Russians then launched an attack on the fort and were repelled. Following two days of bombardment, the Tlingit "hung out a white flag" on the 22nd, deserting the fort on the 26th. Following their victory at the Battle of Sitka in October 1804,
747-478: A location in the City and Borough of Sitka, Alaska is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Sitka, Alaska Sitka ( Tlingit : Sheetʼká ; Russian : Ситка ) is a unified city-borough in the southeast portion of the U.S. state of Alaska . It was under Russian rule from 1799 to 1867. The city is situated on the west side of Baranof Island and the south half of Chichagof Island in
830-515: A mere 20% of his initial demand. Following the Kiks.ádi victory, Tlingit Shaman Stoonook , confident that the Russians would soon return, and in force, urged the clan to construct a new fortification that was capable of withstanding cannon fire, and provided an ample water supply. Despite strong opposition, the Shaman's will prevailed, and the Kiks.ádi made preparations for war. The Sitkas sent messages to their allies requesting assistance, but none
913-514: A population of 43 Tlingit living in and around the Indian River, the Kiks.ádi's traditional summer fishing camp. U.S. President Benjamin Harrison set aside the Shís'gi Noow site for public use in 1890. Sitka National Historical Park was established on the battle site on October 18, 1972 "...to commemorate the Tlingit and Russian experiences in Alaska." Today, the K'alyaan Pole stands guard over
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#1732775609891996-1108: A racial breakdown. At statehood in 1960, it became the 6th largest community (5th largest incorporated city). With the annexations increasing its population to 3,237, it reported a White majority for its first time: 2,160 Whites, 1,054 Others (including Natives) and 23 Blacks. In 1970, it fell to 14th place overall (though 7th largest incorporated city) with 3,370 residents. Of those, 2,503 were White, 676 Native Americans, 95 Others, 74 Asians and 22 Blacks. In 1980, Sitka rose to 4th largest city with 7,803 residents (of whom 5,718 were non-Hispanic White, 1,669 were Native American, 228 were Asian, 108 were Hispanic (of any race), 87 were Other, 44 were Black and 7 were Pacific Islander). In 1990, Sitka fell to 5th largest (4th largest incorporated) with 8,588 residents. 6,270 were non-Hispanic White; 1,797 were Native American; 315 were Asian; 209 were Hispanic (of any race); 60 were Other; 39 were Black and 18 Pacific Islanders. In 2000, Sitka retained its 5th largest (and 4th largest incorporated) position. In 2010, it slipped to 7th largest community overall (but still remained
1079-593: Is 131.74 inches (3,350 mm); average seasonal snowfall is 33 inches (84 cm), falling on 233 and 19 days, respectively. The mean annual temperature is 45.3 °F (7.4 °C), with monthly means ranging from 36.4 °F (2.4 °C) in January to 57.2 °F (14.0 °C) in August. The climate is relatively mild when compared to other parts of the state. Only 5.1 days per year see highs at or above 70 °F (21 °C); conversely, there are only 10 days with
1162-506: Is currently in development as an undergraduate institution founded on the former campus of Sheldon Jackson College. The Sitka School District , the designated public school district, runs several schools in Sitka, including Sitka High School and Pacific High School , as well as the town's only middle school, Blatchley Middle School . It also runs a home school assistance program through Terry's Learning Center. Mt. Edgecumbe High School ,
1245-602: The Alexander Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean (part of the Alaska Panhandle ). As of the 2020 census , Sitka had a population of 8,458, making it the fifth-most populated city in the state. With a consolidated land area of 2,870.3 square miles (7,434 square kilometers) and total area (including water) of 4,811.4 square miles (12,461 km ), Sitka is the largest city by total area in
1328-588: The John O'Connell Bridge was constructed (named after John W. O'Connell, a former mayor of Sitka). The Sitka Channel features numerous wharfs, piers, seafood processing plants, and harbors serving its thriving seafood industries as well as port facilities for the United States Coast Guard vessel USCG Maple . 57°03′06″N 135°20′47″W / 57.0517°N 135.3464°W / 57.0517; -135.3464 This article about
1411-629: The National Register of Historic Places . On October 18, Alaska celebrates Alaska Day to commemorate the Alaska purchase. The City of Sitka holds an annual Alaska Day Festival. This week-long event includes a reenactment ceremony of the signing of the Alaska purchase, as well as interpretive programs at museums and parks, special exhibits, aircraft displays and film showings, receptions, historic sites and buildings tours, food, prose writing contest essays, Native and other dancing, and entertainment and more. The first recorded Alaska Day Festival
1494-559: The Old Sitka State Historical Park , commemorating the 1800s Russian settlement, and six miles north of downtown Sitka, is a private deep water port offering moorage facilities. A 470-foot-long floating dock for vessels up to 1100 feet was constructed there by its owners in 2012 and was first used in 2013. In Spring 2016, Holland America Line agreed to dock its ships at the Old Sitka Dock. Since then,
1577-605: The Ranche until around 1965). Russian cannon were constantly trained on the natives as a reminder of their defeat at Shís'gi Noow . The Kiks.ádi supplied the Russians with food and otter pelts, while the colonists introduced the Tlingit to the various aspects of Russian culture and the Russian Orthodox Church . Occasional acts of Tlingit aggression continued until 1858, with one significant uprising (though quickly quelled) occurring in 1855. In 1867 Russian America
1660-532: The Russian-American Company ) first visited the island aboard the Ekaterina in 1795 while searching for new sea otter hunting grounds. Baranov paid the Tlingit a sum for the rights to the land in order to prevent "interlopers" from conducting trade on the island. On 7 July 1799, Baranov, with 100 fellow Russians, sailed into Sitka Sound aboard the galley Olga , the brig Ekaterina ,
1743-524: The Shís'gi Noow site to honor the Tlingit casualties. Ta Eetí , a memorial to the Russian sailors who died in the Battle, is across the Indian River at site of the Russians' landing. In September 2004, in observance of the Battle's bicentennial, descendants of the combatants from both sides joined in a traditional Tlingit "Cry Ceremony" to formally mourn their lost ancestors. The next day, the Kiks.ádi hosted
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#17327756098911826-648: The Tongass National Forest under a 50-year contract with the US Forest Service. At its peak, the mill employed around 450 people before closing in 1993. Sitka's Filipino community established itself in Sitka before 1929. It later became institutionalized as the Filipino Community of Sitka in 1981. Gold mining and fish canning paved the way for the town's initial growth. Today Sitka encompasses portions of Baranof Island and
1909-532: The Tsar , and that they therefore were expected to provide free labor to the Company. Competition between the two groups for the island's resources would escalate as well. Despite a number of unsuccessful Tlingit attacks against the post during the winter of 1799, business soon prospered. Urgent matters required that Baranov return to Kodiak (then capital of Russian America ) in 1800. 25 Russians and 55 Aleuts, under
1992-404: The packet boat Orel ; and a fleet of some 550 baidarkas , carrying 700 Aleuts and 300 other natives. Wishing to avoid a confrontation with the Kiks.ádi, the group passed by the strategic hilltop encampment where the Tlingit had established Noow Tlein ("Big Fort") and made landfall at their second-choice building site, some 7 miles (11 kilometers) north of the colony. The location of
2075-450: The sloop-of-war Neva under the command of Lieutenant Commander Yuri Feodorovich Lisyansky . Neva was accompanied by the Ermak and two other smaller, armed sailing ships , manned by 150 promyshlenniks (fur traders), along with 400–500 Aleuts in 250 baidarkas . In this engagement, fortune favored the Russians from the outset. On September 29, the Russians went ashore at
2158-430: The 4th largest incorporated city). As of the census of 2010, there were 8,881 people living in the borough. The racial makeup of the borough, based on one race alone or in combination with one or more other races, was, 64.6% White (including White Hispanic and Latino Americans ), 1% Black or African American, 24.6% Native American , 8.1% Asian , 0.9% Pacific Islander , 1.8% from other races . In addition, 4.9% of
2241-553: The Alutiiq name for the Tlingit) initially welcomed the newcomers, their animosity toward the Russians grew in relatively short order. The Kiks.ádi objected to the Russian traders' custom of taking native women as their wives, and were constantly taunted by other Tlingit clans who looked upon the "Sitkas" as the outsiders' kalga , or slaves. The Kiks.ádi came to realize that the Russians' continued presence demanded their allegiance to
2324-551: The Island's dense forests, based on significant firsthand research into the event conducted by Herb and Frank Hope of the Sheetʼká Ḵwáan — Sitka Tribe of Alaska . Canoes fashioned out of red cedar trunks facilitated the ocean crossing to Chichagof Island . Several warriors remained in the vicinity of Noow Tlein after the Battle as a sort of rear guard, in order to both harass the Russian settlers and to prevent them from pursuing
2407-482: The Kiks.ádi during their flight north. Shortly thereafter, eight Aleut trappers were killed in Jamestown Bay and another was shot in the woods adjacent to New Archangel. From that point forward, Russian hunting parties went out in force, ever alert to the possibility of attack. The Kiks.ádi encouraged other Tlingit clans to avoid contact with the Russians by any means possible. In November, 1805, Cháatl Ḵáa Noow
2490-474: The Kiks.ádi harvested herring eggs, a traditional native food). From there, the group's exact path across the mountains north to Cháatl Ḵáa Noow (the Kiks.ádi "Halibut Man Fort" at Point Craven in the Peril Strait ) is a matter of some conjecture. However, a coastal route around the bays of northwest Baranof Island appears to be the most likely course as it would have allowed the travelers to circumvent
2573-426: The Kiks.ádi homeland against a formidable enemy. The Clan gathered together for a last song, one that ended with a loud drum roll and a wail of anguish (which the Russians interpreted as a sign of their surrender). The Tlingit then departed undetected under the cover of darkness. It was not until the evening of 4 October that the Kiks.ádi began their retreat. The Russians landed a large contingent of troops to secure
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2656-471: The Russian settlement at Katlianski Bay , " Redoubt Saint Michael ", is known today as Starrigavan Bay, or "Old Harbor" (from Russian старая гавань stáraya gavanʼ ) The outpost consisted of a large warehouse, blacksmith shop, cattle sheds, barracks , stockade , block house , a bath house, quarters for the hunters, and a residence for Baranov. Though the Koloshi (the Russian name for the Tlingit, based on
2739-614: The Russian-American Company, which led to the creation of a Lutheran congregation. The Sitka Lutheran Church building was built in 1840 and was the first Protestant church on the Pacific coast . After the transition to American control, following the purchase of Alaska from Russia by the United States in 1867, the influence of other Protestant religions increased, and Saint-Peter's-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
2822-400: The Russians (who intended to profit from the natives' hunting prowess, and to put an end to the sporadic attacks on the village) invited the Tlingit to return to Sitka, which was designated as the new capital of Russian America in 1808. The Tlingit who chose to return were allowed to reside in a part of the village just below the heavily guarded stockade on "Blockhouse Hill" (an area known as
2905-512: The Russians established the settlement "New Archangel", named after Arkhangelsk . As a permanent settlement, New Archangel became the largest city in the region. The Tlingit re-established their fort on the Chatham Strait side of Peril Strait to enforce a trade embargo with the Russian establishment. In 1808, with Baranov still governor, Sitka was designated the capital of Russian America. Bishop Innocent lived in Sitka after 1840. He
2988-459: The Russians surrender, which was also rejected. The Russian cannon fire resumed until nightfall. After dark, the Kiks.ádi met to consider their situation. They all believed that the Russians suffered too many losses the day before to mount another ground attack. The Tlingit's goal had been to hold out long enough to allow the northern clans to arrive and reinforce their numbers, but the shortage of gunpowder limited their ability to remain under siege ,
3071-439: The Russians. An errant round struck the canoe in which the Tlingit were transporting the gunpowder, igniting the cargo and causing it to explode. When the smoke cleared, it was evident that none of the expedition, comprising upper- caste young men from each house (all future Clan leaders) and a highly respected elder, survived the encounter. Baranov's emissaries notified the Tlingit that the Russian ships would soon begin firing on
3154-481: The Tlingit fort at sunrise. The Kiks.ádi responded with offers of a truce, hostage exchanges, promises of more talks, and even the possibility of surrender. Unbeknownst to the Russians, the Clan's elderly and young children had already begun the trek to G̱aajaa Héen (Old Sitka). At nightfall, the House Chiefs met again to discuss their planned march across the island. Mothers with infant children were to depart in
3237-400: The Tlingit in exchange for exclusive fur trading rights. In June 1802, a group of Tlingit warriors attacked the Russian fort at mid-day. Led by Skautlelt (Shḵ'awulyéil) and Kotleian, the raiding party massacred many, looted the sea otter pelts, and burned the settlement, including a ship under construction. A few Russians and Aleuts who had been away from the post hunting, or who had fled into
3320-458: The Tlingit position. The initial barrage consisted mainly of "ranging shots" as the vessels attempted to determine the optimum firing range. Unable to breach the fort's walls, the Russians ceased fire in the early afternoon and sent a messenger ashore under a flag of truce . According to Lisyansky, Much to the Kiks.ádi's amusement, the message demanded their surrender, which they rejected out of hand. The Tlingit replied with their own demand that
3403-765: The U.S. As part of Russia , it was known as New Archangel (Russian: Ново-Архангельск / Новоaрхангельск , romanized: Novo-Arkhangelsk / Novoarkhangelsk ). The current name Sitka (derived from Sheetʼká , a contraction of the Tlingit Shee Atʼiká ) means "People on the Outside of Baranof Island", whose Tlingit name is Sheetʼ-ká Xʼáatʼl (here contracted to Shee ). Russian explorers settled Old Sitka in 1799, naming it Fort of Archangel Michael ( Russian : форт Архангела Михаила , t Fort Arkhangela Mikhaila ). The governor of Russian America , Alexander Baranov , arrived under
Sitka Channel - Misplaced Pages Continue
3486-547: The U.S. Government Capital of the Department of Alaska (1867–1884) and District of Alaska (1884–1906). The seat of government was relocated north to Juneau in 1906 due to the declining economic importance of Sitka relative to Juneau, which gained population in the Klondike Gold Rush . The Alaska Native Brotherhood was founded in Sitka in 1912 to address racism against Alaska Native people in Alaska. By 1914,
3569-552: The United States. Secretary of State William Seward had wanted to purchase Alaska for quite some time, as he saw it as an integral part of Manifest Destiny and America's reach to the Pacific Ocean. While the agreement to purchase Alaska was made in April 1867, the actual purchase and transfer of control took place on October 18, 1867. The cost to purchase Alaska was $ 7.2 million, at 2 cents per acre. Sitka served as both
3652-505: The army and navy remained in Sitka until the end of WWII, when the army base was put into caretaker status. The naval station in Sitka was deactivated in June 1944. A shore boat system was then established to transfer the approximately 1,000 passengers a day until the O'Connell Bridge was built in 1972. The Alaska Pulp Corporation was the first Japanese investment in the United States after WWII. In 1959, it began to produce pulp harvested from
3735-552: The auspices of the Russian-American Company , a colonial trading company chartered by Tsar Paul I . In June 1802, Tlingit warriors destroyed the original settlement, killing many of the Russians, with only a few managing to escape. Baranov was forced to levy 10,000 rubles in ransom to Captain Barber of the British sailing ship Unicorn for the safe return of the surviving settlers. Baranov returned to Sitka in August 1804 with
3818-469: The beachhead and to reconnoiter the area in and around Shís'gi Noow . To their great surprise, none of the natives was to be found as, unbeknownst to the Russians, the Tlingit had embarked on what is now referred to as the "Sitka Kiks.ádi Survival March". On 8 October, Captain Lisianski visited the abandoned Tlingit fortification, in which he estimated eight hundred males lived, and recorded: The fort
3901-451: The deformation signal shows that it is consistent with an intrusion of new material (magma) at about 5 km (3.1 mi) below sea level. The earthquakes likely are caused by stresses in the crust due to this intrusion and the substantial uplift that it is causing. Intrusions of new magma under volcanoes do not always result in volcanic eruptions. The deformation and earthquake activity at Edgecumbe may cease with no eruption occurring. If
3984-427: The deforming area. Deformation has been constant since 2018, and there has not been an increase with the recent earthquake activity. The total deformation since 2018 is about 27 cm (11 in). [...] The coincidence of earthquakes and ground deformation in time and location suggests that these signals are likely due to the movement of magma beneath Mount Edgecumbe, as opposed to tectonic activity. Initial modeling of
4067-704: The destruction of a Russian trading post two years before. The primary combatant groups were the Kiks.ádi ("Ones of Kíks ", Frog/Raven) Clan of Sheetʼká Xʼáatʼi ( Baranof Island ) of the Tlingit nation and agents of the Russian-American Company assisted by the Imperial Russian Navy . Members of the Kiks.ádi of the indigenous Tlingit people had occupied portions of the Alaska Panhandle , including Sheetʼká Xʼáat'i (present-day Baranof Island ), for some 11,000 years. Alexandr Baranov (Chief Manager of
4150-522: The direction of Vasilii G. Medvednikov , were left to staff the post. In spring 1802, the population of Redoubt Saint Michael had grown to include 29 Russians, 3 British deserters, 200 Aleuts, and a few Kodiak women. It was rumored that the British (under the auspices of the Hudson's Bay Company ) staged a meeting with the northern Tlingit clans in Angoon in 1801, wherein they offered muskets and gunpowder to
4233-407: The forest, subsequently reached safety and relayed news of the attack. British Captain Barber, Unicorn , seized the ringleaders, rescued 3 Russians, 20 other native allies, and many of the pelts. The Unicorn then set sail for Kodiak, where it delivered the survivors and the news of the attack to Baranov on June 24. Barber extracted a ransom of 10,000 rubles for the return of the colonists —
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#17327756098914316-613: The ground in 1966, losing its handmade bells, the large icon of the Last Supper that decorated the top of the royal doors, and the clock in the bell tower. Also lost was the large library containing books in the Russian , Tlingit , and Aleut languages. Although the church was restored to its original appearance, one exception was its clock face, which is black in photographs taken before 1966, but white in subsequent photos. Swedes, Finns and other nationalities of Lutherans worked for
4399-466: The high not above freezing. The winters are extremely mild compared to inland areas of similar and much more southerly parallels, due to the intense maritime moderation. The relatively mild nights ensure that four months stay above the 50 °F (10 °C) isotherm that normally separates inland areas from being boreal in nature. Due to the mild winter nights, hardiness zone is high for the latitude (from 6b to 8a). The highest temperature ever recorded
4482-423: The installation at close range. Some 1,000 native spruce logs were used in the construction of 14 buildings ( barabaras ) and the thick palisade wall that surrounded them. The Kiks.ádi battle plan was a simple one: they would gauge the Russians' strength and intentions at Noow Tlein , then strategically retreat to the perceived safety of the new fort. Baranov returned to Sitka Sound in late September 1804 aboard
4565-402: The last 7.5 years of ground deformation detectable with radar satellite data. Analysis of these data from recent years reveals a broad area, about 17 km (11 mi) in diameter, of surface uplift centered about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) to the east of Mt Edgecumbe. This uplift began in August 2018 and has been continuing to the present at a rate of up to 8.7 cm/yr (3.4 in/yr) in the center of
4648-455: The magma rises closer to the surface, this would lead to changes in the deformation pattern and an increase in earthquake activity. Therefore, it is very likely that if an eruption were to occur it would be preceded by additional signals that would allow advance warning. Sitka first reported on the 1880 census as an unincorporated village. Of 916 residents, there were 540 Tlingit, 219 Creole (Mixed Russian and Native) and 157 Whites reported. It
4731-559: The majority of the cruise ships calling on Sitka berth at the Old Sitka Dock, with the remainder anchoring offshore in Crescent Harbor and tendering their passengers to downtown Sitka. In the 2017 season, there were 136 cruise ship calls at Sitka with more than 150,000 passengers in total; of these fewer than 30,000 were tendered. The United States Coast Guard plans to homeport one of its Sentinel-class cutters in Sitka. There are 22 buildings and sites in Sitka that appear in
4814-478: The melee, and the Russians were forced to abandon several small artillery pieces on the beach. Lisiansky reports only two were killed, but fourteen wounded (one mortally), and they were able to save their guns. That night, the Tlingit rejoiced at having repulsed the Russian onslaught. In as much as Baranov's battlefield wounds prevented him from continuing the battle, Lieutenant Commander Lisyansky assumed command, ordering his ships to begin shore bombardment of
4897-531: The morning. The naval cannon fire began at daybreak, halting periodically to allow the Russians to extend offers of peace to the Kiks.ádi, which were in turn rejected. That afternoon, the Tlingits' response was that they had tired of battle, and would accede to the Russian demands to evacuate Shís'gi Noow the following day. Once the sun had set, the natives held their last gathering in the sapling fort. The elders offered praise for their clansmen who had defended
4980-410: The natives to abandon their winter village and occupy the "sapling fort" without the enemy fleet taking notice. However, when the Kiks.ádi sent a small, armed party to retrieve their gunpowder reserves from an island in nearby Shaaseiyi Aan ( Jamestown Bay ), the group (electing not to wait for the cover of darkness, instead returning in broad daylight) was spotted and engaged in brief a firefight with
5063-534: The new fort. On or about October 1, Neva was towed by the Aleut from Krestof Sound into the shoals near the mouth of the Indian River. A Russian landing party, led by Baranov and accompanied by about 150 men, assaulted the Tlingit compound, only to be met by continuous volleys of gunfire. The Aleuts panicked and broke ranks, retreating to the shore where their baidarkas waited. The Kiks.ádi warriors, led by their new War Chief Ḵʼalyaan (Katlian) — wearing
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#17327756098915146-634: The organization had constructed the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall on Katlian Street, which was named after a Tlingit war chief in the early period of Russian colonization. In 1937, the United States Navy established the first seaplane base in Alaska on Japonski Island , across the Sitka Channel from the town. In 1941, construction began on Fort Ray, an army garrison to protect the naval air station. Both
5229-408: The part of the village with natives (population 500). Separately, they placed as the 15th and 17th largest communities. United, they would be 8th largest. For the purposes of comparison and the fact that the village was not officially politically/racially divided except by the census bureau report, the combined total (1,039) is reported on the historic population list. In 1913, Sitka was incorporated as
5312-408: The population were Hispanic and Latino Americans of any race. There were 3,545 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.6% were non-families. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size
5395-545: The port and facilities for the USCGC Kukui . According to the United States Census Bureau , the borough is the largest incorporated city by area in the U.S. , with a total area of 4,811 square miles (12,460.4 km ), of which 2,870 square miles (7,400 km ) is land and 1,941 square miles (5,030 km ), comprising 40.3%, is water. As a comparison, this is almost four times the size of
5478-565: The residents of Sitka. The project was completed in November 2014. Sitka is the 6th largest port by value of seafood harvest in the United States. International trade is relatively minor, with total exports and imports valued at $ 474,000 and $ 146,000, respectively, in 2005 by the American Association of Port Authorities . The port has the largest harbor system in Alaska with 1,347 permanent slips. During Russian rule , Sitka
5561-667: The smaller Japonski Island , which is connected to Baranof Island by the O'Connell Bridge. The John O'Connell Bridge was the first cable-stayed bridge built in the Western Hemisphere. Japonski Island is home to Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport ( IATA : SIT; ICAO : PASI), the Sitka branch campus of the University of Alaska Southeast , Mt. Edgecumbe High School (a state-run boarding school for rural Alaskans), Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium's Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka , and
5644-561: The state of Rhode Island . Sitka displaced Juneau, Alaska, as the largest incorporated city by area in the United States upon the 2000 incorporation with 2,874 square miles (7,440 km ) of incorporated area. Juneau's incorporated area is 2,717 square miles (7,040 km ). Jacksonville, Florida , is the largest city in area in the contiguous 48 states at 758 square miles (1,960 km ). Sitka has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ) with moderate, but generally cool, temperatures and abundant precipitation. The average annual precipitation
5727-450: The total 2010 population of 8,881 residents, an estimated 7,161 were over 16 years of age. Of residents aged 16 and over, an estimated 4,692 were employed within the civilian labor force, 348 were unemployed (looking for work), 192 were employed in the armed forces (U.S. Coast Guard), and 1,929 were not in the labor force. The average unemployment rate between 2006 and 2010 was 6.9%. The median household income in 2010 inflation adjusted dollars
5810-475: The winter village. Lisyansky dubbed the site "Novo- Arkhangel'skaya Mikhailovskaya" (or "New Archangel Saint Michael"), a reference to the largest city in the region where Governor Baranov was born. Baranov immediately sent forth envoys to the Tlingit settlement with offers of negotiation for the Noow Tlein site, all of which were rebuffed. The Tlingit merely hoped to stall the Russians long enough to allow
5893-488: Was $ 62,024. An estimated 4.3% of all families / 7% of all residents had incomes below the poverty level "in the past twelve months"(2010). Sitka's electrical power is generated by dams at Blue Lake and Green Lake , with supplemental power provided by burning diesel when electric demand exceeds hydro capacity. In December 2012 the Blue Lake Expansion project began, which added 27 percent more electricity for
5976-721: Was 3.01. In 2010, Sitka's two largest employers were the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), employing 482 people, and the Sitka School District, which employs 250 people. However, there are more people employed in the seafood industry than in any other sector. An estimated 18% of Sitka's population earns at least a portion of their income from fishing and seafood harvesting and processing. Many Sitkans hunt and gather subsistence foods such as fish, deer, berries, seaweeds and mushrooms for personal use. Within
6059-408: Was 88 °F (31.1 °C) on July 30, 1976, and July 31, 2020. The lowest temperature ever recorded was −1 °F (−18.3 °C) on February 16–17, 1948. See or edit raw graph data . Mount Edgecumbe , a 3,200-foot (980 m) "historically active" stratovolcano , is located on southern Kruzof Island , approximately 24 km (15 mi) west of Sitka and can be seen from the city on
6142-556: Was a busy seaport on the west coast of North America, mentioned a number of times by Dana in his popular account of an 1834 sailing voyage Two Years Before the Mast . After the transfer of Alaska to U.S. rule, the Pacific Coast Steamship Company began tourist cruises to Sitka in 1884. By 1890, Sitka was receiving 5,000 tourist passengers a year. Old Sitka Dock, located at Halibut Point, one mile south of
6225-645: Was consecrated as "the Cathedral of Alaska" in 1900. Sitka was the site of the transfer ceremony for the Alaska purchase on October 18, 1867. Russia was going through economic and political turmoil after it lost the Crimean War to Britain, France , and the Ottoman Empire in 1856, and decided it wanted to sell Alaska before British Canadians tried to conquer the territory. Russia offered to sell it to
6308-480: Was detached from the borough. Sitka hosts one active post-secondary institution, the University of Alaska Southeast-Sitka Campus, located on Japonski Island in an old World War II hangar. Sheldon Jackson College , a small Presbyterian -affiliated private college, suspended operations in June 2007, after several years of financial stress. Outer Coast College , a private liberal arts college established in 2015,
6391-475: Was forthcoming; they would face the Russian fleet on their own. The Tlingit chose to construct the roughly 240 feet by 165 feet (73 by 50 meters) Shís'gi Noow (the "Fort of Young Saplings") at the high water line near the mouth of the Indian River to take advantage of the long gravel beach flats that extend far out into the bay; it was hoped that the shallows would prevent the Russian ships from attacking
6474-484: Was held in 1949. The City and Borough of Sitka is a Unified Home Rule city. The home rule charter of the City and Borough of Sitka was adopted on December 2, 1971, for the region of the Greater Sitka Borough, which included Japonski Island and Port Alexander and Baranof Warm Springs on Baranof Island. The city was incorporated on September 24, 1963. On October 23, 1973, the city of Port Alexander
6557-780: Was known for his interest in education, and his house, the Russian Bishop's House , parts of which served as a schoolhouse, has since been restored by the National Park Service as part of the Sitka National Historical Park . The original Cathedral of Saint Michael was built in Sitka in 1848 and became the seat of the Russian Orthodox bishop of Kamchatka, the Kurile and Aleutian Islands, and Alaska. The original church burned to
6640-408: Was razed to preclude the possibility of its being used as a stronghold against the Russians and their allies ever again. Neva sailed out of Sitka Sound on 10 November. In January 2021, the fort was rediscovered using electromagnetic induction . The first leg of the Tlingit's sojourn entailed a hike west from G ajaa Héen to Daxéit (the Clan's fishing camp at Nakwasina Sound , where each May
6723-595: Was sold to the U.S. After that, all the holdings of the Russian–;American Company's holdings were liquidated. Following the transfer, many elders of the local Tlingit tribe maintained that "Castle Hill" comprised the only land that Russia was entitled to sell. Native land claims were not addressed until the latter half of the 20th century, with the signing of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act . The 1880 census reported
6806-441: Was the largest community in Alaska at that census. In 1890, it fell to second place behind Juneau. It reported 1,190 residents, of whom 861 were Native, 280 were White, 31 were Asian, 17 Creole, and 1 Other. In 1900, it fell to 4th place behind Nome, Skagway and Juneau. It did not report a racial breakdown. In 1910, Sitka was reported as two separate communities based on race: the village with mostly non-natives (population 539) and
6889-428: Was visited by John DeWolf and Georg von Langsdorff from Sitka, with several Alutiiq men and the daughter of a Tlingit clan head to serve as translator, provided by Baranov. The visit lasted two days. DeWolf and Langsdorff's writings provide some useful information on the state of affairs at the time. Atop the kekoor (hill) at Noow Tlein , the Russians constructed a fortress ( krepostʼ ) of their own, consisting of
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