Old Sitka

Old Sitka, formally identified in historic-register documentation as the Redoubt St. Archangel Michael Site, is an archaeological and historic site near Sitka, Alaska. It lies approximately seven miles, or about eleven kilometers, north of present-day Sitka at the end of Halibut Point Road on Starrigavan Bay. The location is significant because it was the first non-Native settlement established on Baranof Island and an early base of the Russian-American Company. The site is associated with Alexander Baranov, a leading figure in the Russian-American Company. In 1779, Baranov reached the broader Sitka area and negotiated with Tlingit people for a location where the company could establish an outpost. Although he preferred the area now known as Castle Hill in present-day Sitka, the negotiated site was at Starrigavan Bay, the location later known as Old Sitka. A permanent company presence was not established there until 1799, when the Russians constructed log buildings protected by a palisade. The settlement was known as Redoubt St. Archangel Michael, or Fort Archangel Michael. The outpost was destroyed in an attack by the Tlingit in 1802. Russian forces returned to the region in 1804 and, following the Battle of Sitka, created a more permanent Russian presence at Castle Hill. This shift reduced the strategic importance of the original Starrigavan Bay settlement, although structures and facilities were rebuilt at the site at various times. Replacements or later structures were recorded in 1808, 1823, 1836, and 1894. In 1900, an agricultural station was established at the location; it was later demolished after 1955. Old Sitka is now primarily valued for archaeology, historical interpretation, and public preservation rather than as a commercial consumer brand. Excavations conducted in 1934 and 1935 recovered artifacts and helped identify the locations of buildings associated with the former redoubt. Subsequent erosion and construction activity partially affected the archaeological remains, making conservation and controlled public access important aspects of the site's management. The site received national recognition in 1962, when it was designated a National Historic Landmark under the name Redoubt St. Archangel Michael Site. In 1966, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Old Sitka Site and was made a state park. The State of Alaska now operates the location as Old Sitka State Historical Park, providing a public setting for understanding Russian colonial activity, Tlingit history, archaeological research, and the layered history of southeastern Alaska. Its principal offering is therefore interpretive and recreational access to a protected historic landscape, rather than manufactured products or branded services.

The history of Old Sitka begins with the movement of the Russian-American Company into southeastern Alaska. In 1779, company leader Alexander Baranov arrived near the area of modern Sitka and negotiated with local Tlingit people for land on which the company could establish an outpost. Baranov reportedly favored Castle Hill, the prominent location that later became central to the Russian settlement at Sitka, but the agreed location was at Starrigavan Bay, several miles north of present-day Sitka. The company did not establish its settlement at the site until 1799. The resulting outpost, known as Redoubt St. Archangel Michael or Fort Archangel Michael, consisted of log buildings enclosed by a defensive palisade. It became the first non-Native settlement on Baranof Island and served as an early base for Russian commercial and colonial activity in the region. The settlement's existence also formed part of a wider and often contested history involving the Russian-American Company and the Tlingit communities whose homeland surrounded the site. In 1802, Tlingit forces attacked and destroyed the premises. The Russians returned to the Sitka area in force in 1804. After the Battle of Sitka, they established a permanent presence at Castle Hill, shifting the center of Russian activity away from the original Starrigavan Bay outpost. Structures at or associated with the Old Sitka location were nevertheless replaced or rebuilt in 1808, 1823, 1836, and 1894. These successive phases demonstrate that the site continued to have practical or symbolic value after the original redoubt was destroyed. A later agricultural station was built at the location in 1900. That station was eventually demolished after 1955, adding another layer to the site's changing use. By the twentieth century, the principal importance of Old Sitka lay in its archaeological and historical evidence. Archaeological excavations in 1934 and 1935 recovered numerous artifacts and enabled researchers to identify the locations of buildings connected with the former redoubt. Later erosion and construction activity partially compromised portions of the site, underscoring the need for preservation and managed access. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962 under the name Redoubt St. Archangel Michael Site. In 1966, it was included on the National Register of Historic Places as the Old Sitka Site and became a state park. The State of Alaska established a wayside stop there in the same year and continues to operate the location as Old Sitka State Historical Park. Today, the park serves as a protected historic and archaeological landscape near Sitka. Its public significance comes from the combination of Russian-American Company history, Tlingit cultural context, archaeological remains, and the broader development of southeastern Alaska.

• 1966

  State park and National Register recognition

  [1]Old Sitka Siteen.wikipedia.org

  Old Sitka was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and became a state park with a state-operated wayside stop.

• 1962

  National Historic Landmark designation

  [1]Old Sitka Siteen.wikipedia.org

  The site was designated a National Historic Landmark as the Redoubt St. Archangel Michael Site.

• 1934

  Archaeological excavation begins

  [1]Old Sitka Siteen.wikipedia.org

  Excavations began at the site and continued through 1935, recovering artifacts and locating remains associated with the former redoubt.

• 1804

  Russian forces return to the Sitka area

  [1]Old Sitka Siteen.wikipedia.org

  The Russians returned in force and established a permanent presence at Castle Hill after the Battle of Sitka.

• 1802

  The settlement is destroyed

  [1]Old Sitka Siteen.wikipedia.org

  Tlingit forces attacked and destroyed the Russian settlement at Starrigavan Bay.

• 1799

  Redoubt St. Archangel Michael is established

  [1]Old Sitka Siteen.wikipedia.org

  The Russian-American Company built a palisaded settlement of log structures at the site, creating the first non-Native settlement on Baranof Island.

• 1779

  Baranov negotiates for an outpost location

  [1]Old Sitka Siteen.wikipedia.org

  Russian-American Company leader Alexander Baranov reached the Sitka area and negotiated with local Tlingit people for a site at Starrigavan Bay.

A publicly preserved archaeological and cultural heritage site representing the early Russian-American Company presence on Baranof Island and the complex history of Russian, Tlingit, and later Alaskan occupation.

• State historical park · 1966

  Old Sitka State Historical Park

  A publicly managed historic park at the former Redoubt St. Archangel Michael settlement near Starrigavan Bay. The park provides access to a preserved archaeological landscape and supports public understanding of the site's Russian-American Company history and its wider Tlingit and Alaskan context.

• Archaeological and historic site

  Redoubt St. Archangel Michael archaeological site

  The archaeological remains of the Russian-American Company outpost established in 1799. Excavations in 1934 and 1935 identified building locations and recovered artifacts, although erosion and later construction have affected portions of the historic landscape.

1. 1Old Sitka Siteen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Old Sitka State Historical Parkdnr.alaska.gov