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The setting of Sitka, Alaska, in a tranquil bay on Baranof Island, is nothing short of spectacular. Tiny islands dense with evergreen trees dot the blue-green water, which is crisscrossed by dozens of fishing boats. Looming over the town and waterfront is Mount Edgecumbe, a Mount Fuji look-alike located on a nearby island.

Sitka also has a rich legacy of artifacts and traditions from the Alaska Native, Russian and early-U.S. eras. It is the ancestral home of the Kiksadi Tlingit people. In the 1800s, before Alaska was sold to the U.S., the town was a major Russian port, headquarters of the Russian-American Company, established to promote the fur trade, and the capital of Russian North America.

Sitka has 24 listings on the National Register of Historic Places, seven of which are National Historical Landmarks, and Sitka was named one of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

But don't spend all your time touring historic buildings—Sitka also has an abundance of wildlife. Humpback whales frolic in the bay; massive brown bears and Sitka black-tailed deer roam through nearby forests of Sitka spruce and hemlock; and thousands of seabirds, including the rare rhinoceros auklet and tufted puffin, flock to St. Lazaria National Wildlife Refuge at the mouth of Sitka Sound.

Must See or Do

Sights—Get a sense for Sitka's history by touring St. Michael's Cathedral, Castle Hill, Sitka National Historical Park and the Russian Bishop's House.

Museums—The Sheldon Jackson Museum; the Sitka Historical Society and Museum.

Memorable Meals—Alaskan tapas or the Katlian special salmon at Ludvig's Bistro; beautiful views at The Raven Dining Room.

Late Night—Calamari and drinks at the Kadataan Lounge in the Westmark Sitka Hotel; fraternize with locals, sip a beer and sample a sandwich at the Pioneer Bar.

Walks—Get a copy of Sitka Trails and try some easy hikes in the area; climb to the top of Mount Edgecumbe.

Especially for Kids—Search for sea stars and hermit crabs at a beach; see bald eagles at the Alaska Raptor Center; attend a kid's talk at the Sitka National Historical Park; pet orphaned cubs at Fortress of the Bear.

Geography

Sitka is one of southeast Alaska's most picturesque communities. Accessible only by air or sea (like most southeast Alaska communities), Sitka sits on the outer coast of Baranof Island in serene Sitka Sound, a body of water that protects the community from the pounding Pacific Ocean but not from the rain. The average annual precipitation measures 96 in/244 cm, including 39 in/99 cm of snow.

Hundreds of spruce- and hemlock-studded islands dot the sound, and snowcapped volcano Mount Edgecumbe rises majestically 3,200 ft/992 m in the background. (It last erupted 8,000 years ago.) Sitka has only 14 mi/23 km of paved roads.

History

The Russian-American Company's insatiable search for sea-otter fur lured the Russians to the Sitka region in 1799. The Kiksadi Clan of the Tlingit people living in the area refused to become slaves to the fur traders and attacked the Russian outpost in 1802, killing most of the Russians and their Aleut slaves. Two years later, company manager Alexander Baranof retaliated and drove out the Tlingits, founding New Archangel—which became Sitka—and built a stockade on what became known as Castle Hill.

In the 19th century, Sitka was the fur-trading capital of the world. It was the busiest port on the eastern side of the Pacific and the only shipyard north of Hawaii. By 1867, however, overhunting had diminished the sea-otter and fur-seal trade, so the Russians sold Alaska to the U.S. for US$7.2 million on 18 October. It was the equivalent of US$0.02 per acre in today's currency value. At the time, the sale was widely derided as wasteful by the majority of U.S. citizens—at least until the late 19th century, when gold was discovered in the area.

After 60 years as the capital of Russian North America, Sitka continued to function as the capital of the territory of Alaska until 1906, when the capital was moved to the gold-rich town of Juneau. Sitka's legacy is its blending of Tlingit, Russian and U.S. culture and history, evident in the landmarks, tours and museums around town.

Potpourri

Archaeologists excavated 300,000 artifacts weighing a total of 4,100 lbs/1,845 kg from four buried Russian-American Company buildings in the Castle Hill area of Sitka.

Known as the "Paris of the Pacific" in 1867, Sitka was the busiest port on the west coast of North America in the mid-19th century.

Sitka is the largest city in terms of area in the U.S. at 4,811 sq mi/12,461 sq km, of which 1,937 sq mi/5,017 sq km (or 40%) is water.

The name Sitka is from the Tlingit phrase Shee At'ika, which means people on the outside of Shee, the Tlingit name for Baranof Island or for the volcano at Mount Edgecumbe.

During World War II, 30,000 military personnel and 7,000 civilians were entrenched on Japonski Island, currently the location of the airport and Mount Edgecumbe High School.

In July, Sitka averages 18.5 hours of daylight per day. In December and January, the city sees as little as four hours of daylight per day.

The Sitka National Historical Park is the oldest federally designated park. It was established in 1910 to commemorate the Battle of Sitka.

Sitka was featured in the movie The Proposal. Although the actors never got farther north than Rockport, Massachusetts, the film crew did insert some great shots of Sitka into the film.

Since 2009, a Spirit of Alaska Statehood design adorns an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-400 aircraft. Winner of the Paint the Plane competition, 16-year-old Sitka resident Hannah Hamburg envisioned a musher and sled dog, Alaska Native canoe, whale, state ferry and a bear, with the theme: "We're all pulling together."

Location

Plan to be on deck when your ship sails into Sitka Sound, particularly if it's a sunny day: The views of the town from the ship are beautiful.

Large cruise ships anchor in the sound, which is protected from the rough seas of the Pacific. Passengers are tendered to the visitors pier near Crescent Harbor or to O'Connell Bridge. Smaller cruise ships are at the visitors docks. It's an easy walk to town and to most of the sites, including the Sitka National Historical Park.

Visitor information can be obtained from the visitors desk at Harrigan Centennial Hall, near Crescent Harbor, one block from O'Connell Bridge, or at the Sitka Convention & Visitors Bureau, 303 Lincoln St. A visitor kiosk at O'Connell Bridge also is available when cruise ships are in town. Open Monday-Friday 8 am-5 pm in summer. Phone 907-747-5940. https://visitsitka.org.

Shore Excursions

Explore Sitka's Russian history via bus tour followed by a Russian dance performance, learn about eagles at the Alaska Raptor Center, or bike and hike through the area. Boat tours allow you to watch sea otters and other wildlife, experience a working salmon hatchery, enjoy sportfishing and watch whales.

Tranquil Sitka Sound is the perfect place to learn to maneuver a two-person sea kayak or experience the underwater environment from the comfort of a semisubmersible vessel.

Shore excursions and their prices vary. Check with your travel agent for additional information.