Until the mid-18th century, the Alutiiq people enjoyed an undisturbed life in the Kodiak Archipelago. Everything they needed was here: waters rich in fish, seals, whales and sea lions; land bursting with berries, birds and mammals. For thousands of years, they lived in harmony with all that the sea and earth provided. Their peaceful life came to an end in 1784 when Russian settlers initiated an economy based on compulsory labor. Kodiak quickly became the commercial center for Russian fur trade and Alutiiq natives were used to hunt sea otters for benefit of the company. The treatment of the Alutiiq people was ruthless. The Russian American governor, Aleksandr A. Baranov, served in Kodiak for 34 years before leaving the island. Kodiak and other settlements began to falter as the sea otter populations declined, which led to the United States purchasing Alaska from the Russians in 1867. With the sea otter population compromised, salmon became the economic staple. By the 1890s, canneries dotted the islands. Commercial fishing remains the economic mainstay of Kodiak. The most prominent legacy of the Russian era is the Russian orthodox religion. With its distinctive blue cupolas, the Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Cathedral is a prominent fixture in downtown Kodiak and hosts an active congregation to this day. kodiak’s dramatic history TALES OF THE PAST 26 | 2023 KODIAK, AK VISITORS GUIDE History buffs will find themselves a little slice of heaven in Kodiak. The Archipelago is rich in native culture, Russian history, World War II installations and dramatic natural disasters.
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