Sitka

We had been to Sitka 20 years ago when we were on a cruise of the Alaska Inland Passage. My memories of Sitka were strong, and its Russian heritage compelled me to return. We were happy to do so as we were able to knock a couple items off the bucket list.

When here before, we did not make it to the Sitka National Historic Park. Situated in the heart of the town of Sitka on Baranov Island, the Park preserves historically and culturally significant sites and artifacts related to the 1804 battle of Sitka between the Tlingit and Russian forces, during which the Russians reestablished their control of Russian America after losing it in the Tlingit attach of 1802 which drove the Russian forces out.

One of the most impressive features is the historic Totem Park. In the early 1900’s, district governor John Brady acquired totem poles from all over Alaska for display at the Park. The Totem trail is quite impressive.

So, when we were north of San Francisco we visited Fort Ross – the furthest south of the Russian settlements in North America. Fort Ross was abandoned and sold to John Sutter – yes, the California gold rush guy at Sutter’s Mill – and had one of only 4 known buildings still existing in North America that were built by the Russians in the early 1800’s. Well, the second we discovered on Kodiak Island, the oldest building in Alaska, was built in 1810 as headquarters for the Russian American Company. Alexander Andreyevich Baranov was appointed the first Chief Manager of the RAC, and essentially became the Governor of Russian America.

The last two were in Sitka. We visited building 29 in downtown Sitka which was built by the Russians as a residence of a higher ranked individual in 1835. Although there have been some modifications in the work to preserve it, historians believe it to be the finest remaining example of Russian secular architecture in Alaska.

Finally, we made it to the Russian Bishop’s House – having seen all 4 of 4, we checked this off the list. Back in those days, Tsar Alexander I gave the Russian American Company (RAC) the exclusive rights to trade in all the Russian claimed areas of North America. However, one of the stipulations was that the RAC financially support the Russian Orthodox Church. As such, the RAC built this home in 1841, worthy of a nobleman, for the soon to be arriving Orthodox Bishop of Sitka. We toured it, and concur.

The home served both as a private residence for the Bishop as well as a place to hold services before a cathedral could be built. After the uneasy times with the locals in the first years of the century, in 1834 Father loann Veniaminov, generally referred to as Father Innocent, was transferred to Sitka. He devoted himself to the Tlingit people, learned their language and customs, and won them over to the Russian Orthodox religion. He did it not by rejecting their beliefs and customs, but by showing how they fit into Russian Orthodox beliefs and practices.

We visited Veniaminov’s grave on a hill overlooking Sitka harbor. Father loann Veniaminov was glorified as a Saint in the Russian Orthodox Church on September 23, 1977, as a result of a request from the Orthodox Church in America, giving him the title “Enlightener of the Aleuts, Apostle to America.” His grave site is modest, but the location impressive if only for the views.

We visited the Cathedral of St. Michael. When the Russians settled Sitka, they named the settlement Archangel in honor of Michael the Archangel. After Innocent had been successful in Sitka, a cathedral was built in 1844. However, fire destroyed the original cathedral in 1966 – at the time it was the oldest church in Alaska. The cathedral was reconstructed based on original drawings, and many of its icons, doors and ornaments were saved from the fire, and incorporated into the replacement. 

It turned out that we had the penthouse suite at the Sitka Hotel – the only room on the 4^th floor, with a private outdoor balcony on the roof. While we had to hike our bags up one flight of stairs from the 3^rd floor up to our room, the views of the town and the harbor were well worth it.

We visited the Alaska Raptor Center here. They focus primarily on Bald Eagle rehabilitation. At the time of our visit, they had 20 injured Bald Eagles that were being nursed back to health after surgeries to correct whatever injuries they had – broken wings from hitting objects, gunshot wounds, fencing, etc. They heal the birds and release them back into the wild. They do get birds that are too injured to be able to be released, and those become permanent residents.

We also visited a bear rescue facility called the Bear Fortress. Housed in tanks from an abandoned Japanese pulp mill, the Center specializes in taking in bear cubs that would otherwise have to be shot under Alaska laws. They can’t currently rehabilitate and release under Alaska law, but they are hoping that new laws will allow them to do that in the future. For now, the bears they have are just being saved from a bullet.

Right next to the Sitka National Cemetery is the Sitka pioneer’s cemetery. We found many a gravestone hat indicated that the residents had been buried while Sitka was a Russian settlement – prior to the 1867 acquisition of Alaska as part of Seward’s Folly. This guy not interred until it was America was even from our neck of the woods, as Al Roker would say.

While Sitka did not feel as Russian as I remembered from our visit 20 years before, it was a wonderful few days, and the weather was outstanding!

Talk to you soon!