Page 142 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

140  ALASK A AREA B Y AREA

0 Sitka

One of Alaska’s most beautiful towns, Sitka sits beside
an island-studded sea on the west coast of Baranof Island.
The lure of hunting sea otters for their pelts led the Russians
to set up Redoubt St. Michael in the year 1799. After local
Tlingit destroyed the fort in 1804, the Russians estab lished
the fortified town of Novo Archangelsk. By 1808, this was the
capital of Russian America and was flourishing economically
and culturally. When the US bought Alaska in 1867, the town’s
name was changed to Sitka, a contraction of Shee Atiká, the
Tlingit name for the settlement. Today, Sitka’s economy is Tlingit totem poles on display at the
based on tourism and a large fishing and cold-storage industry. Sheldon Jackson Museum

5 St. Michael’s Russian E Sheldon Jackson Museum
Orthodox Cathedral 104 College Dr. Tel 747-8981.
240 Lincoln St. Tel 747-8120. Open summer: 9am–5pm Tue–Sat;
Open May–Sep: 9am–4pm Mon– winter: 10am–noon, 1–4pm Tue–
Fri, or when cruise ships are in port; Sat. & free for under 18s. 7
winter: by appt. & 7 limited. = ∑ museums.alaska.gov
5 6pm Sat, 9:30am Sun. ∑ oca. From 1888 to 1898, the
org/parishes/oca-ak-sitsmk Presbyterian Reverend
This onion-domed cathedral is Sheldon Jackson traveled
the quintessential Sitka landmark.
The cornerstone was laid by
Detail of ceremonial Native canoe, Bishop Veniaminov (see p78)
Sitka History Museum in 1844, and construction was LAK E STREET
completed in 1848. The present LAKEVIEW DRIVE Swan
E Sitka History Museum church is a replica of the original, Ferry Terminal Lake
330 Harbor Dr. Tel 747-6455, 747- which burned down in a fire 330 yard (300 m) Swan
Lake
5516 (performance information). in 1966. Although locals Park MERRILL STREET Indian River Trail
Open mid-May–late Sep: 9am–5pm managed to rescue the OSPREY STREET DE GROFF STREET GEODETIC WAY
Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm Sat–Sun; late paintings, icons, chandelier, HALIBUT POINT ROAD MO N AS TE RY S TREET I N D I A N RI V ER ROAD
Sep–mid-May: 10am–4pm Tue–Sat. and the partially melted SAWMILL CREEK ROA D
& donations accepted. 7 = bronze bells, the large E R L E R S T R E E T BIORKA ST PARK ST
∑ sitkahistory.com OJA ST
library of works in Russian, OJA WAY BARANOF ST
Housed in the Harrigan Tlingit, and Aleut languages MARINE STREET ETOLIN STREET JEFF DAVIS STREET SAWMILL CREEK ROAD Alaska
Raptor Center
Centennial Hall, this museum was lost. One surviving artifact, KATLIAN STREET Blockhouse Russian FINN S T J. G. BRADY DR. W A Y
outlines Sitka’s history from the Madonna of Sitka, has been and Russian Bishop’s LINCOLN ST C OLLEGE DR R A P T O R
House
KOGWANTON STREET
Cemetery
the Russian era to the present, credited with miraculous healing. Sitka Channel Sheldon Indian River
Crescent Harbor
including exhibits on mining, The reconstruction, in fire- Russian Orthodox Harrigan Jackson
St. Michael’s
forestry, and World War II. In resistant materials, took from Cathedral Centennial Hall Marine Museum
addition to a model of Sitka at 1967 to 1972, and the new Sitka History Wet Lab SNHP Visitor Center
Whale Park
the time of its transfer to the cathedral was consecrated in Castle H ARBOR DR Museum and Museum 3 miles (5 km)
Hill
United States, the museum’s 1976. Visitors can attend services. O‘Connell Bridge Crescent Bay Sitka National
Historical Park
highlights include Tlingit art, Airport Trail of Totems
1 mile (2 km)
tools, and spruce baskets. There
are also trade beads, Russian
weapons, historic photographs,
and a unique “tea brick.” These around Alaska representing
bricks of compacted Cantonese the US educational system.
tea were acquired by the In the course of his travels,
Russians from the Chinese he collected the indigenous
in exchange for the sea otter artifacts that are displayed
pelts that formed the basis of here, including hunting tools,
Russian Alaska’s economy. masks, kayaks, and reindeer
Outside, a large Haida sleighs. Each summer, Native
ceremonial canoe is on dis play artisans come to the museum
beneath a canopy. In the to demonstrate their crafts.
summer, the New Archangel The museum shop offers a
Dancers perform in traditional Dome and spire of St. Michael’s Russian variety of Native hand-crafted
Russian costume for tourists. Orthodox Cathedral goods and artwork.
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp243–4 and pp253–4
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