When we travel, I get quite a bit of joy in understanding a little of the history of places that we visit.  The beautiful city of Sitka, Alaska is rich in history.  Here’s a few things I bet you didn’t know…

10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Sitka, Alaska

1. Sitka was originally settled by the Tlingit people over 10,000 years ago.
2. In the Battle of Sitka (1804), the Russians defeated the local Tlingit Kiksadi clan and the town became known as New Archangel and was designated as the capital of Russian America.
3. In 1867, the United States bought Alaska for 2¢/acre from the Russians.
4. Sitka was the site of the signing of the Alaska Purchase, and became Alaska’s capital city. In 1906, the capital of Alaska was moved to Juneau.
5.  Sitka is the largest incorporated city in the U.S. with a total area of 4,811 square miles.
6. While Sitka gets quite a bit of rain during the year, annual snowfall only averages 33 inches.  Sitka also experiences moderate temperatures with only 5 days per year above 70º, and only 10 days per year with the high temperature below freezing.  Surprising, right?
7. Mount Edgecumbe, a 3,200 foot dormant volcano, is clearly visible from Sitka on a clear day.
8. Sitka has less than 10,000 people, with most of them making their living in the seafood industry in some fashion.
9. Sitka is the 6th largest port by value of seafood in the U.S.
10. Sitka is only accessible by boat or plane.

We visited Sitka in mid-May, enjoyed sunny 65º temperatures, and would have loved to spend more than one day exploring the area.

Stay tuned for our article, “What to do in Sitka on your Alaska Cruise”.
 
If you enjoyed this article, sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep abreast of our best travel tips, on-location reviews, exclusive travel offers, group travel events, and much more.