Colonization Alaska

the russian america in 1860

some researchers believe first russian settlement in alaska established in 17th century. according hypothesis, in 1648 several koches of semyon dezhnyov s expedition came ashore in alaska storm , founded settlement. hypothesis based on testimony of chukchi geographer nikolai daurkin, had visited alaska in 1764–1765 , had reported on village on kheuveren river, populated bearded men pray icons . modern researchers associate kheuveren koyuk river.

the first european vessel reach alaska held st. gabriel under authority of surveyor m. s. gvozdev , assistant navigator i. fyodorov on august 21, 1732, during expedition of siberian cossak a. f. shestakov , belorussian explorer dmitry pavlutsky (1729–1735).

another european contact alaska occurred in 1741, when vitus bering led expedition russian navy aboard st. peter. after crew returned russia sea otter pelts judged finest fur in world, small associations of fur traders began sail shores of siberia toward aleutian islands. first permanent european settlement founded in 1784.

the russian settlement of st. paul s harbor (present-day kodiak town), kodiak island, 1814.

between 1774 , 1800, spain sent several expeditions alaska in order assert claim on pacific northwest. in 1789 spanish settlement , fort built in nootka sound. these expeditions gave names places such valdez, bucareli sound, , cordova. later, russian-american company carried out expanded colonization program during early-to-mid-19th century.

sitka, renamed new archangel 1804 1867, on baranof island in alexander archipelago in southeast alaska, became capital of russian america. remained capital after colony transferred united states. russians never colonized alaska, , colony never profitable. evidence of russian settlement in names , churches survive throughout southeast alaska.

william h. seward, united states secretary of state, negotiated alaska purchase (also known seward s folly) russians in 1867 $7.2 million. alaska loosely governed military initially, , administered district starting in 1884, governor appointed president of united states. federal district court headquartered in sitka.

miners , prospectors climb chilkoot trail during 1898 klondike gold rush.

for of alaska s first decade under united states flag, sitka community inhabited american settlers. organized provisional city government, alaska s first municipal government, not in legal sense. legislation allowing alaskan communities legally incorporate cities did not come until 1900, , home rule cities extremely limited or unavailable until statehood took effect in 1959.