what is the oldest settlement in alaska

Where was the first settlement in Alaska?

In 1784, the first Russian settlement in Alaska was established on Kodiak Island at Three Saints Bay. In April of 1867 The United States purchased Alaska for $7.2 million dollars in gold; roughly two cents an acre. In 1872 gold was discovered near Sitka. During 1888, more than 60,000 people arrived in Alaska in search of gold.

Why did the Russians settle in Alaska?

Russians settle Alaska. The European discovery of Alaska came in 1741, when a Russian expedition led by Danish navigator Vitus Bering sighted the Alaskan mainland. Russian hunters were soon making incursions into Alaska, and the native Aleut population suffered greatly after being exposed to foreign diseases.

What is the history of Alaska in short?

History of Alaska. The history of Alaska dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period (around 14,000 BC ), when wanderer groups crossed the Bering land bridge into what is now western Alaska. At the time of European contact by the Russian explorers, the area was populated by Alaska Native groups.

What is the oldest continuously-inhabited Native American settlement?

One of the oldest continuously-inhabited Native American settlements in the United States First European settlement in the New World during the Age of Discovery. Abandoned by 1500. Founded by Christopher Columbus in 1494 as a gold town, and abandoned by 1562 after an earthquake destroyed the settlement.

How We Determined When A City Was Founded In Alaska… Or Is It Settled?

What was the first people to live in Matanuska?

What is the Kenai name?

What's the oldest town in Alaska?

Incorporated on August 25, 1900, Ketchikan is the earliest extant incorporated city in Alaska, because consolidation or unification elsewhere in Alaska resulted in the dissolution of those communities' city governments.

Is Kodiak the oldest town in Alaska?

The city of Kodiak is Alaska's oldest European settlement. Russians first landed here as early as 1763.

Who settled in Alaska first?

Western science asserts the first people came to Alaska about 15,000 years ago following herd animals across the Bering Land Bridge. The Amerind migration group continued south to populate all of the Americas. The second migration across the Bering Land Bridge brought the Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut.

What is the oldest settlement?

Jericho, West Bank Jericho, a city in the Palestine territories, is a strong contender for the oldest continuous settlement in the world: it dates back to around 9,000 B.C., according to Ancient History Encyclopedia.

Can you see Russia from Kodiak Alaska?

11 interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson, Sarah Palin had this to say about Russia: “They're our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.” Is that true? Yes. Russia and Alaska are divided by the Bering Strait, which is about 55 miles at its narrowest point.

Can I live on Kodiak Island?

Population. People: Approximately 13,500 people live throughout the Kodiak Island Archipelago. Kodiak, the major population center and home of Kodiak College, is on the northeast corner of Kodiak Island. People also live in remote communities, including six Alaska Native villages, throughout the archipelago.

Who owned Alaska before America?

RussiaPrints and Photographs Division. On March 30, 1867, the United States reached an agreement to purchase Alaska from Russia for a price of $7.2 million. The Treaty with Russia was negotiated and signed by Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl.

Why Canada did not buy Alaska?

There are two main reasons. First, Canada wasn't its own country in 1867. Second, Great Britain controlled the Canadian colonies. Russia did not want to sell Alaska to its rival.

Who lived in Alaska before Russia invaded?

Prehistory of Alaska Alaska became populated by the Inuit and a variety of Native American groups. Today, early Alaskans are divided into several main groups: the Southeastern Coastal Indians (the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian), the Athabascans, the Aleut, and the two groups of Eskimos, the Inupiat and the Yup'ik.

What is the oldest still inhabited city in the world?

Jericho, Palestinian Territories: The world's oldest continually-inhabited city, according to our sources, archaeologists have unearthed the remains of 20 successive settlements in Jer... ... Tyre, Lebanon: The legendary birthplace of Europa and Dido, Tyre was founded around 2750 BC, according to Herodotus.More items...•

What's the oldest town in the world?

Jericho, Palestine A small city with a population of 20,000 people, Jericho, which is located in Palestine, is believed to be the oldest city in the world.

What is the oldest existing city in the world?

Jericho, Palestinian Territories A small city with a population of 20,000 people, Jericho, which is located in the Palestine Territories, is believed to be the oldest city in the world. Indeed, some of the earliest archeological evidence from the area dates back 11,000 years.

What is Kodiak Alaska known for?

About the Kodiak Area Kodiak is the transportation hub for southwest Alaska. Kodiak's fishing port is the largest in the state and ranks among the top in the country. Additionally, Kodiak is home of the nation's largest US Coast Guard base and the first privately owned rocket launch facility.

What is America's oldest city?

St. AugustineSt. Augustine, founded in September 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles of Spain, is the longest continually inhabited European-founded city in the United States – more commonly called the "Nation's Oldest City."

What is the oldest city in every state?

The United States Ranked by the Oldest City in Each State TranscriptCityStateYear of StatehoodAnnapolisMaryland1788Sault Ste. MarieMichigan1837CharlestonSouth Carolina1788PeoriaIllinois181846 more rows

How did Kodiak get its name?

It was explored in 1763 by Stephan Glotov, a Russian fur trader who was the first nonnative Alaskan to visit the area. The island, known as Kikhtak (Eskimo: “Island”), was called Kodiak by Captain James Cook in 1778; although it was renamed Kadiak in 1890, the spelling reverted to Kodiak in 1901.

When was Alaska first discovered?

The history of Alaska dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period (around 14,000 BC ), when foraging groups crossed the Bering land bridge into what is now western Alaska. At the time of European contact by the Russian explorers, the area was populated by Alaska Native groups. The name "Alaska" derives from the Aleut word Alaxsxaq (also spelled ...

Who claimed Alaska?

Spanish claims to the Alaska region dated to the papal bull of 1493, but never involved colonization, forts, or settlements. Instead, Madrid sent out various naval expeditions to explore the area and to claim it for Spain. In 1775 Bruno de Hezeta led an expedition; the Sonora, under Bodega y Quadra, ultimately reached latitude 58° north, entered Sitka Sound and formally claimed the region for Spain. The 1779 expedition of Ignacio de Arteaga and Bodega y Quadra reached Port Etches on Hinchinbrook Island, and entered Prince William Sound. They reached a latitude of 61° north, the most northern point attained by Spain.

Why did Russia buy Alaska?

Financial difficulties in Russia, the low profits of trade with Alaskan settlement, and the important desire to keep Alaska out of British hands all contributed to Russia's willingness to sell its possessions in North America. At the instigation of U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, the United States Senate approved the purchase of Alaska from Russia for US$7.2 million on August 1, 1867 (equivalent to approximately $133M in 2020). This purchase was popularly known in the U.S. as "Seward's Folly", "Seward's Icebox," or "Andrew Johnson's Polar Bear Garden", and was unpopular among some people at the time. Later discovery of gold and oil would show it to be a worthwhile one. Scholars debate whether the purchase of Alaska was a financially profitable for the federal Treasury itself, apart from its benefits to Alaskans and to businesses, and to national defense.

What was the name of the island where the British settled?

British settlements at the time in Alaska consisted of a few scattered trading outposts, with most settlers arriving by sea. Captain James Cook, midway through his third and final voyage of exploration in 1778, sailed along the west coast of North America aboard HMS Resolution, from then-Spanish California all the way to the Bering Strait. During the trip he discovered what became known as Cook Inlet (named in honor of Cook in 1794 by George Vancouver, who had served under his command) in Alaskan waters. The Bering Strait proved to be impassable, although the Resolution and its companion ship HMS Discovery made several attempts to sail through it. The British ships left the straits to return to Hawaii in 1779.

What were the consequences of the Russian expeditions to Alaska?

Other groups could not manage the tensions and perpetrated exactions. Hostages were taken, individuals were enslaved, families were split up, and other individuals were forced to leave their villages and settle elsewhere. In addition, during the first two generations of Russian contact, eighty percent of the Aleut population died of Old World diseases, against which they had no immunity.

How many pages is Oil and Wilderness in Alaska?

Busenberg, George J. Oil and Wilderness in Alaska: Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, and National Policy Dynamics (Georgetown University Press; 2013) 168 pages; studies competing environmental and developmental interests in the state regarding the Trans-Alaska pipeline, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, and reforms after the Exxon Valdez disaster.

How did the Good Friday earthquake affect Alaska?

On March 27, 1964 the Good Friday earthquake struck South-central Alaska, churning the earth for four minutes with a magnitude of 9.2. The earthquake was one of the most powerful ever recorded and killed 139 people. Most of them were drowned by the tsunamis that tore apart the towns of Valdez and Chenega. Throughout the Prince William Sound region, towns and ports were destroyed and land was uplifted or shoved downward. The uplift destroyed salmon streams, as the fish could no longer jump the various newly created barriers to reach their spawning grounds. Ports at Valdez and Cordova were beyond repair, and the fires destroyed what the mudslides had not. At Valdez, an Alaska Steamship Company ship was lifted by a huge wave over the docks and out to sea, but most hands survived. At Turnagain Arm, off Cook Inlet, the incoming water destroyed trees and caused cabins to sink into the mud. On Kodiak, a tsunami wiped out the villages of Afognak, Old Harbor, and Kaguyak and damaged other communities, while Seward lost its harbor. Despite the extent of the catastrophe, Alaskans rebuilt many of the communities.

How many people arrived in Alaska in 1888?

During 1888, more than 60,000 people arrived in Alaska in search of gold. Special legislation in 1898 extends the provisions of the Homestead Act of 1862 to the Territory of Alaska allowing settlers in the state to stake a claim for 160 acres of public land for development as a homestead.

Who discovered Alaska in 1741?

In 1728, Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer, documents the Bering Strait between Asia and North America. In 1741, A Russian expedition led by Vitus Ber ing, along with George Steller, made the first "discovery" of Alaska, landing near what today is Kayak Island.

When was the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act passed?

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) is passed in 1971, giving Alaska Natives land and capital, as well as establishing the Native Corporations. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) passes in 1980, creating the huge public lands system in Alaska.

When did Alaska become the 49th state?

In 1959, almost 100 years after the purchase of Alaska, became the 49th State. President Eisenhower signed the official declaration on January 3, 1959. A massive 9.2 magnitude earthquake rocks the southern portion of Alaska on Good Friday on 1964.

When did the Klondike gold rush occur?

The Klondike Gold Rush occurred in 1897-1900, bringing over 100,000 prospectors who would attempt to travel north and seek their fortunes.

When did the first settlements appear in the Arctic?

New data from the fossil record revealed the first permanent settlements in the high arctic areas appeared 4,000-3,500 years ago. Obsidian artifacts dating from 4,000-1,000 years before present have provided concrete evidence of transcontinental interaction between Siberia and Alaska.

What was the second migration across the Bering Land Bridge?

The Amerind migration group continued south to populate all of the Americas. The second migration across the Bering Land Bridge brought the Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut. They arrived in Alaska about 12,000 BP and moved through the north to populate Alaska and Canada.

Where did the Russian American Company settle in Alaska?

His first effort to establish a settlement at Old Harbor near Sitka was destroyed by the Tlingit. His second attempt, in 1804 at Novo-Arkhangelsk (“New Archangel,” now Sitka), was successful, but not without a struggle that resulted in the battle of Sitka, the only major armed conflict between Native Alaskans and Europeans. (Nevertheless, Native Alaskans continued to agitate for land rights; some of their demands finally were met with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971.) Yet compared to the previous Russian fur traders, the Russian-American Company maintained relatively good relations with the Aleuts and the native peoples of the southeast, as well as with the Yupik of the lower Yukon and Kuskokwim river valleys. It was not uncommon for Aleuts to marry Russians and convert to the Russian Orthodox faith, and quite a few Aleuts—some with Russian surnames—worked for the Russian-American Company.

What tribes lived in Alaska during the migrant era?

Of these migrant groups, the Athabaskans, Aleuts, Inuit, Yupik, Tlingit, and Haida remain in Alaska.

Why did Russia sell Alaska?

The near extinction of the sea otter and the political consequences of the Crimean War (1853–56) were factors in Russia’s willingness to sell Alaska to the United States. U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward spearheaded the purchase of the territory and negotiated a treaty with the Russian minister to the United States. After much public opposition, Seward’s formal proposal of $7.2 million was approved by the U.S. Congress, and the American flag was flown at Sitka on Oct. 18, 1867. The Alaska Purchase was initially referred to as “Seward’s Folly” by critics who were convinced the land had nothing to offer.

Where did the Aleuts settle?

The first European settlement was established in 1784 by Russians at Three Saints Bay, near present-day Kodiak. With the arrival of the Russian fur traders, many Aleuts were killed by the newcomers or overworked in the hunting of fur seals. Many other Aleuts died of diseases brought by the Russians.

When was Alaska first elected?

In 1906 Alaska’s first representative to Congress, a nonvoting delegate, was elected, and in 1912 Congress established the Territory of Alaska, with an elected legislature. Meanwhile, gold had been discovered on the Stikine River in 1861, at Juneau in 1880, and on Fortymile Creek in 1886.

How many miles of road did the Alaska Highway connect?

This aggression prompted the construction of large airfields, as well as the Alaska Highway, more than 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of road linking Dawson Creek, B.C., with Fairbanks. Both proved later to be of immense value in the commercial development of the state.

Who settled Alaska?

Russians settle Alaska. On Kodiak Island, Grigory Shelikhov, a Russian fur trader, founds Three Saints Bay, the first permanent Russian settlement in Alaska. The European discovery of Alaska came in 1741, when a Russian expedition led by Danish navigator Vitus Bering sighted the Alaskan mainland.

Who was the Russian American Company that established the Alaskan mainland?

In 1786, Shelikhov returned to Russia and in 1790 dispatched Aleksandr Baranov to manage his affairs in Alaska. Baranov established the Russian American Company and in 1799 was granted a monopoly over Alaska.

What colony was founded in 1784?

The Three Saints Bay colony was founded on Kodiak Island in 1784, and Shelikhov lived there for two years with his wife and 200 men.

When did Alaska become a state?

On January 3, 1959 , President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting the territory of Alaska into the Union as the 49th state. READ MORE: Why the Purchase of Alaska Was Far From 'Folly'.

Who bought Alaska?

After the war, Secretary of State William H. Seward , a supporter of territorial expansion, was eager to acquire the tremendous landmass of Alaska, one-fifth the size of the rest of the United States. On March 30, 1867, Secretary of State William H. Seward signed a treaty with Russia for the purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million. Despite the bargain price of roughly two cents an acre, the Alaskan purchase was ridiculed in Congress and in the press as “Seward’s folly,” “Seward’s icebox,” and President Andrew Johnson’s “polar bear garden.” In April 1867, the Senate ratified the treaty by a margin of just one vote.

Who was the Secretary of State of Alaska in 1867?

On March 30, 1867, Secretary of State William H. Seward signed a treaty with Russia for the purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million.

When was gold discovered in Alaska?

Despite a slow start in settlement by Americans from the continental United States, the discovery of gold in 1898 brought a rapid influx of people to the territory. Alaska, rich in natural resources, has been contributing to American prosperity ever since.

When was Kodiak founded?

Established in: 1792. Kodiak is the main city in Kodiak Island and was founded in 1792 by Aleksandr Andreyevich Baranov. It was first called Pavlovsk Gavan, which is Russian for Paul's Harbor, and was the first capital of Russian Alaska.

What is the oldest town in Massachusetts?

21 of 50. Massachusetts: Plymouth . Established in: 1620. Known as one of the oldest towns in the country, Plymouth was the first permanent settlement by Europeans in New England, was once known as the colony of New Plymouth .

What was the first English settlement in Connecticut?

Windsor was Connecticut's first English settlement, with a perfect location on the water. Today, the city uses its "first town" status to create a historical atmosphere ideal for tourism.

When was Franklin founded?

Franklin was founded by Mormon pioneers in the spring of 1860. As early settlers began building cabins and farming, they believed they were still in Utah. It wasn't until 1872 that an official boundary survey placed a border between the two states.

Who founded the Natchitoches?

It was founded by French-Canadian explorer and soldier Louis Juchereau de Saint-Denis and was once known as Fort St. Jean Baptiste. It was renamed for the Natchitoches Indians.

Who founded Fort Rosalie?

Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville established Natchez in 1716 as Fort Rosalie. It was later named for the Natchez Indians and was passed from France to England. It is now known as being the most active slave trading city in the state.

Who was Wabasha named after?

Wabasha was named after Indian Chief of the Sioux Nation, Chief Wa-pa-shaw, who lived in the valley. His nephew, Augustin Rocque, was the first white settler in the area

When was Alaska first inhabited?

Alaska First Early Inhabitants Timeline. 35,000 - 10,000 years ago - The Glacial Period. During the last Ice Age, Alaska was covered by glacial ice. What is now the Bering Sea, separating Siberia from Alaska, was a wide and ice-free plain across which ancestral American Indians moved to North America, and then down the Pacific coast to ...

Who were the first people to live in Alaska?

The native Athabascan Indians inhabited the interior of the state. There were two groups of Eskimos, the Inupiat (Northern Eskimos) and the Yupik (Southern Eskimos). The first native inhabitants of the area now known as Alaska probably migrated from Siberia, part of what is now Russia, at the end of the last ice age ten to twelve thousand years ago.

Where did the Inuit hunt whales?

1,000 - 500 years ago - Thule Culture. Inuit groups learned to hunt bowhead whales, the largest animals in the arctic seas. Large communities were established on points of land along the northern coast of Alaska, where whales could be easily hunted as they migrated through narrow leads in the spring ice.

What is early history?

Early history examines the archaeological record that tells the story of the first inhabitants of Alaska. Learn about the prehistory and culture of the first early inhabitants, and what lessons it might teach us about the early history of Alaska.

Who was the first manager of the Russian American Company?

Consequently, this led to the chartering of the Russian American Company in 1799. Under its first manager, Alexander Baranov, which was a period of about 20 years, there was an order and systematic exploitation of the fur resources.

What is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas?

Oldest continuously-inhabited European-established settlement in the Americas. Present-day capital of the Dominican Republic.

What was the first place in the Americas to settle?

This is why Alaska is one of the first places of all the Americas to be settled. They did not build large settlements there, instead the majority of them proceeded to move south into Canada, Mexico, the continental United States and later to South America. c. 12000 BC. Triquet Island Heiltsuk Nation Village Site.

What is the oldest continuously occupied community in the US?

Oldest continuously-occupied community in the US, known today as Sky City

What was the first European settlement in New York?

Oldest European settlement in New York State, founded as Fort Nassau and renamed Fort Orange in 1623. First Dutch settlement in North America

When was the United States founded?

United States. Established in the summer of 1604 by a French expedition, led by Pierre Dugua, which included Samuel de Champlain. After the winter of 1604–1605 the survivors relocated and founded Port Royal, Nova Scotia. 1605.

When was Seville founded?

After founding Seville in 1509, Spanish settlers moved to a healthier site which they named Villa de la Vega. The English renamed it Spanish Town when they conquered the island in 1655.

Who established the first European settlement in the Americas?

First European settlement in the Americas, excluding Greenland. Norse explorer Leif Ericson established a settlement on this site in 1003. Oldest continuously-occupied community in the US, known today as Sky City. One of the oldest continuously-inhabited Native American settlements in the United States.

When did humans first settle in Alaska?

The earliest archaeological evidence for human settlement in Alaska—nothing more than small scatters of stones and bones—dates to about 11,500 years ago . From that date onward, there has been continuous human occupation in the Arctic into modern times. During the height of the Würm glaciation (called the Wisconsin in the New World), northern North America was mantled by two vast ice sheets that extended from Greenland to British Columbia. There may have been a narrow, ice-free corridor between them, but it would not have supported animal or plant life. Most likely, people from Alaska hunted and foraged their way south onto the Great Plains as the ice sheets receded rapidly after 13,000 years ago. Despite occasional occurrences of 12,000-year-old artifacts in North America, the first widespread settlement of the Americas as a whole dates with great consistency to about 11,000 years ago (9000 B.C.E.). Within a few centuries, perhaps no more than 500 years, hunter-gatherer groups had colonized the entire Americas, from ice-free Nova Scotia in the north to Patagonia in the south.

Where did the first people settle in Siberia?

The earliest human settlement of extreme northeast Siberia. The earliest human settlement of extreme northeast Siberia, from Lake Baikal eastward, took place late in the Ice Age. This was after the last glacial climax 18,000 years ago, when warmer conditions opened up hitherto uninhabited steppe-tundra. The first settlers were few in number, living ...

Where did Native Americans come from?

Dental morphology, genetics, and archaeology show that the biological and cultural roots of the Native Americans lie in northern China and extreme northeast Asia. We do not know when modern humans first settled in China. Although Chinese archaeologists claim that Homo sapiens sapiens evolved ...

Where did humans settle in Brazil?

There are affirmations of humans occupying Boqueirao de Pedra Furada in northeastern Brazil at least 40,000 years ago. Only a few scholars accept this claim or other much heralded occupations said to have occurred between 40,000 ...

How We Determined When A City Was Founded In Alaska… Or Is It Settled?

Put differently, there’s no official data set from the Census that contains when every place in America was founded.

What was the first people to live in Matanuska?

Population: 6,773#N#Founded: 1951#N#Age: 67#N#The first people to live in the Matanuska Valley, where Palmer is located, were the Dena’ina and Ahtna Athabaskans. They moved throughout the area, living a subsistence lifestyle and trading with other native groups. Their trade routes were along the Matanuska River. Russians came to Alaska in 1741 and brought the Russian Orthodox religious tradition to the indigenous peoples of the region. In the early 1890s, an entrepreneur named George W. Palmer built a trading post on the Matanuska River, near present-day Palmer. The town was later named after Palmer.

What is the Kenai name?

Population: 7,634#N#Founded: 1960#N#Age: 58#N#The city of Kenai is named after the local Dena’ina (Tanaina) word ‘ken’ or ‘kena’, which means ‘flat, meadow, open area with few trees; base, low ridge’, according to the Dena’ina Topical Dictionary by James Kari, Ph.D., published in 2007. This describes the area along the mouth and portion of the Kenai River near the City of Kenai. Archaeological evidence suggests that the area was first occupied by the Kachemak people from 1000 B.C., until they were displaced by the Dena’ina Athabaskan people around 1000 A.D. Before the arrival of the Russians, Kenai was a Dena’ina village called Shk’ituk’t, meaning ‘where we slide down.’ When Russian fur traders first arrived in 1741, about 1,000 Dena’ina lived in the village. The traders called the people ‘Kenaitze’, which is a Russian term for ‘people of the flats’, or ‘Kenai people’. This name was later adopted when they were incorporated as the Kenaitze Indian Tribe in the early 1970s.

Overview

18th century

Prehistory of Alaska

19th century

20th century

21st Century

Notable historical figures

See also

15,000 - 4,000 Before Present

4,000 - 3,500 Before Present

The 1700s

The 1800s

The 1900s