Archaeological evidence suggests that the Kodiak Archipelago has been home to the Alutiiq for at least 7,000 years. The first European to discover Kodiak Island was Stephan Glotov, a Russian explorer. He discovered the Island in 1763, and was followed by James Cook, fifteen years later.Eastern Orthodox missionaries settled on the island by the end of the 18th century, establishing the congregation and continuing European settlement of the island. Currently, the Cathedral contains the holy relics of St. Herman. The beautiful lampada which burns continuously above his reliquary was a gift to the Cathedral from His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II during his visit to Kodiak in 1993. Holy oil from this lampada is used to anoint those who are sick and suffering and is distributed freely to pilgrims who come from all over the world.

View of Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church cupolas, Kodiak, Alaska

One of the church's distinctive blue domes rises towards the blue sky in this photo of the Holy Resurrection church in Kodiak.

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Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Cathedral was established in 1794 and elevated to Cathedral status in 2001 by Bishop Nikolai of the Orthodox Church in America. The Cathedral is a well known landmark in the community. The current church building is the fourth and was built in the 1940s after a devastating fire destroyed the previous church. 

Holy Resurrection Cathedral

This tour is an introduction to the unique and diverse history of Kodiak, Alaska. Kodiak was originally inhabited by Alutiiq Native Americans for over 7,000 years. The city was settled in the 18th century by Russia. For over 150 years, harvesting of the area's sea otter pelts led to the near extinction of the animal, and wars with and enslavement of the native people. After Alaska was purchased by the United States in 1867, Kodiak became a commercial fishing center. This continues to be central to the economy of the community.

Exploring Kodiak's History

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The Alutiiq people are one of eight Alaskan Native peoples. They have inhabited the coasted portion of south central Alaska for over 7,500 years, where they lived in coastal communities and hunted sea mammals from skin-covered boats. At the time of European colonization, there were distinct regional groups of Alutiiq people, each speaking a slightly different dialect of the Alutiiq language. The Alutiiq Museum grew from the Kodiak Area Native Association's Culture and Heritage Division (KANA). In 1987, the KANA board decided that the exploration and celebration of Native culture was essential to the well-being of Alutiiq communities. KANA established island-wide programs to teach Alutiiq arts, study the Alutiiq language, and investigate Alutiiq history, with the vision of one day developing a museum for the Alutiiq people. Following the tragic 1989 EXXON-Valdez Oil Spill, KANA secured $1.5 million from the oil spill trustee council to build a state of the art repository, a place to care for artifacts from the spill area. Construction for the facility began in the spring of 1994, in collaboration with Natives of Kodiak, Inc. The Alutiiq Museum opened to the public on May 13, 1995, under the governance of the Alutiiq Heritage Foundation. It is tribally governed.

The Alutiiq Museum preserves and shares the heritage and living culture of the Alutiiq people. Open since 1995, the Alutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository is Tribally governed, and is one of only two Native American-run museums in the country to be accredited. In addition to gallery exhibits, the Alutiiq Museum runs public programs such as Community Archaeology, Elders Alutiiq language time, Craft Saturdays, Art workshops, and the Alutiiq Word of the Week.

Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository

The Erskine House, located in Kodiak, Alaska, was built in 1808 by Russian colonists.The colonists primarily sold and traded pelts, so they decided to settle in that area because there was a large population of seals and sea otters in the surrounding archipelago. The Erskine house was primarily used to store otter pelts. In 1867, Alaska was sold to the U.S, and shorty after, the Erskine house began to be used as living quarters for members of the San Fransisco-based Alaska Commercial Company. The ACC provided commercial and financial services, such as steamship transport, that supported the Alaskan fur trade. Later in 1911, the ACC Kodiak station manager, W.J. Erskine bought the building as a family home. In 1967, the nearly 160 year old building was renovated by the Kodiak Historical Society, with help from the State of Alaska, and the Baranov Museum was established.  The museum's collections and exhibitions are focused on the history of the Kodiak Archipelago and the Aleutian Islands, with particular focus on the early American and Russian periods. There are also collections from the Native Alutiiq Indians that first inhabited the area, such as a 26-foot long wooden kayak and Alutiiq ceremonial objects. There is an extensive collection of photographs of the soldiers stationed on Kodiak during World War II. Educational opportunities are provided for all ages through many different programs, such as arts and crafts workshops, group tours, professional lectures, or even artist or musical receptions.

The Baranov Museum is a history museum in Kodiak, Alaska. Located in a National Historic Landmark building, known as the Russian-American Magazin (or the Erskine House), the museum's structure was built circa 1810. The building is the oldest of four surviving buildings constructed when Alaska was a Russian territory. The museum's collections and exhibitions are focused on the history of the Kodiak Archipelago and the Aleutian Islands, with particular focus on the early American and Russian periods. 

Baranov Museum

Archaeological evidence suggests that the Kodiak Archipelago has been home to the Alutiiq for at least 7,000 years. The first European to discover Kodiak Island was Stephan Glotov, a Russian explorer. He discovered the Island in 1763, and was followed by James Cook, fifteen years later. Eastern Orthodox missionaries settled on the island by the end of the 18th century, establishing the congregation and continuing European settlement of the island.  Currently, the Cathedral contains the holy relics of St. Herman. The beautiful lampada which burns continuously above his reliquary was a gift to the Cathedral from His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II during his visit to Kodiak in 1993. Holy oil from this lampada is used to anoint those who are sick and suffering and is distributed freely to pilgrims who come from all over the world.

The Miller Point area was initially identified as a military reservation by an Executive Order in 1941. By November 11 of the same year, an order directed that the post be continually manned. On December 7, a battalion observation post was established on the point. Shortly after, Battery G the 250th Cost Artillery Regiment set up a searchlight position below the edge of the sea cliff. During the spring of 1942, engineers explored the area before installing gun emplacements. After surveying, two 8-inch naval guns were mounted. Rare armaments for coastal defense installations, these weapons were relics of World War I and had been supplanted during the conflict by more modern weapons. Piedmont Point housed an additional observation post and a radar tower. In 1943, a War Department Order designated the Miller Point area as Fort Abercrombie, in honor of Lieutenant William H. Abercrombie, noted explorer of Alaska. At the end of the war, the post was deactivated and remaining armaments were destroyed with explosives. The elements that survive are gun emplacements, underground magazines, and foundational remnants of buildings. The Kodiak Military History Museum is a private military museum located in Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park. The museum is located in the restored Ready Ammunition bunker on Miller Point. 25 years after World War II, the site was transferred to Alaska's Division of Lands for development as a State Park. In addition to the remaining military elements, the park also features campsites, a picnic shelter, picnic sites, a stocked lake, multiple scenic views, a ranger station, and beach access. The northern temperate rainforest of Fort Abercrombie is dominated by Sitka spruce and a shade-tolerant understory. The lush, green forest is an ideal environment for the growth of many special of mosses. In addition to the forests, coastal meadows provide visitors with the opportunity to see a variety of wildflowers. The state park also offers a multitude of wildlife viewing opportunities. A variety of mammals (brown mat, short-tailed weasel, land otter, tundra vole, deer, muskrat, brown bear) can be seen within the park. There is exceptional whale watching from Miller Point, where humpback, fin, gray, and orca whales can be spotted. Other aquatic mammals, such as harbor seals, sea lions, and sea otters frequent the coastline. Additonally, 95 bird species inhabit the park and its shores throughout the year.

Fort Abercrombie State Historic Park is an Alaskan state park on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Located on the eastern shore of the island, 5 miles from the city of Kodiak, the park is made up of 182 acres of land at the end of Miller Point. Established in 1969, the park is noted for its historical World War II fortifications and vistas, which include meadows, forests, and bluffs overlooking the ocean. 

The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and was included in the National Historic Landmark designation of the Kodiak Naval Operating Base and Forts Greely and Abercrombie in 1985.

Exploring Kodiak's History

Holy Resurrection Cathedral

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