When Sal and I were in Seward last month, we were kind of surprised to see a gift shop, The Russian Store, selling, you guessed it, Russian items. Babushkas (nesting dolls), USSR military hats, old propaganda posters and ushankas (those warm but kind of funny-looking Russian-style hats). We knew, of course, that the US had purchased Alaska from Russia, but hadn’t really thought too much about the Russia colonization of Alaska. Here’s what I learned.
In 1648, Russian Simeon Dezhmev sailed through the Bearing Strait and landed in the Diomede Islands. (Two small island approximately 2.5 miles apart. Today, Big Diomede Island is part of Russia and Little Diomede Island is part of Alaska, and in winter, when the Strait freezes, it’s possible to walk from one country to the other.) Russians in Siberia are aware of trade between Alaska, Chukchi and Asiatic Natives.
In 1725, Czar Peter the Great sends mariner Vitus Bering to explore beyond the eastern reaches of Russia and claim land for the Russian Empire. He sails through the strait that now bears his name but doesn’t reach the coast. In 1741, a second expedition reaches land in Southeast Alaska and returns to Russia with sea otter pelts. Russian explorers and traders return and the mass hunting of sea otters for their pelts begins. The Russian fur trading industry in Alaska is born.
Russian explorer Stephen Glotov in 1759 lands on Unimak Island and hears the Aleut natives refer to the area as Alyaska (Great Land), and that becomes the basis of the name Alaska.
In 1795, the Russian Orthodox Church is established on Kodiak Island. Four years later, Czar Paul I signs a decree establishing the Russian-American Company to handle trade and administer Russian activities in American. Headquarters and a fort are established in Sitka, which becomes the capital of the Russian Colony.
In 1824, Russia begins exploring mainland Alaska, over the next 20 years reaching as far north as the Yukon. Russia establishes a southern boundary with the United States and a year later the eastern boundary of Alaska with Britain.
In 1840, the Russian Orthodox Diocese was established for Alaska. Missionary schools and churches were established, and Russian liturgy was given in Native Alaskan languages.
In 1853, Russian trappers discover oil seeps in the Cook Inlet.
In 1859, Czar Alexander II decides to sell the Alaska colony. The sea otter population had been reduced and the fur trade was exhausted. The Russian-American Company had no source of funds and was dependent on Russia for supplies. Russia had just been defeated by the British in the Crimean War and needed the funds to protect itself. Also, Alaska was hard to defend and it was thought it would be easily captured in any future war with Britain. Russia approached both Britain and America. Britain refused the offer and negotiations with America began. America bought the colony in 1867 for $7.2 million (two cents per acre).
The Russian possession of Alaska had a devastating affect on the native population. In 1741, Alaska was home to about 100,000 people, including Inuit, Athabaskan, Yupik, Unangan, and Tlingit. Only 700 Russians lived in Alaska settlements at any one time, but they ruled harshly. They brought firearms, swords and cannons to secure a foothold. They took the children of leaders as hostages and destroyed kayaks and other hunting equipment to control the men. And they brought diseases. Smallpox, measles, respiratory illnesses, and influenza epidemics would kill untold numbers. On the Aleutian Islands, Russians enslaved or killed thousands. In the first 50 years of Russian occupation, the Aleut population plummeted from 17,000 to 1,500 due to a combination of warfare, enslavement and disease. In 1867, only 50,000 indigenous people were left, as well as 483 Russians and 1,421 Creoles, descendants of Russian men and indigenous women.
Today, many Alaskans who live in areas colonized by Russia still have Russian surnames. Many Alaska landmarks still carry Russian names.
Alaska has many historic Russian buildings. Russian Orthodox Churches are in some 80 communities, many still using the old-style Russian Orthodox calendar, celebrating Christmas on what is January 7 on Western calendars.
Russia Orthodox Church in Nikolaevsk, Alaska, on the Kenai Peninsula.
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