Stakeholder questions are listed in BOLD at the top of each subset.
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Background
Tourism in SE Alaska began in the 19 th century with sustained by light steamer traffic to Glacier Bay , Sitka and a few other destinations. Another impetus to tourism occurred with the advent of post-WW II airplane service from Seattle to Alaska . Further stimulation of tourism occurred with the advent of statehood and the development of the Alaska Marine Highway (now in transition – to only God knows what?). The beginning of serious big-time cruise-ship traffic was the most recent stimulus – beginning the early 1970s. There are other factors contributing to a maturing Alaska tourism industry, however, Sitka ’s geographical location (on the outside of SE and the outside of Baranof Island ) continues to be a defining issue confronting all tourism planners.
Question # 1 - Inventory of our Unique Cultural and Historical Assets:
Historical & Cultural resources:
1. Native American history/culture:
a. Sheet’ka Kwan Naa Kahidi Community House/ANB Hall
b.
Many, many Tlingit individuals/clans with rich material
Cultural resources, cultural knowledge & background; also regalia & some speak Tlingit
c. Selected individuals with Aleut/Alutiiq/Haida/Tsimshian and Creole heritage…
d.
Curatorial collections: SJ Museum, SNHP and SJ Library, Sitka Historical Society
e.
Several churches in Sitka have artifact collections
f.
Gaaja Heen Dancers (shows/programs)
g.
New Archangel Dancers (shows/programs)
h.
Sitka Summer Music Festival (June/annually)
i.
Sitka Summer Fine Arts Camp (now about 200 students served)
j.
Island Institute - Annual writer’s Workshops/Symposia
2. National Historic Landmarks:
a. Sheldon Jackson College
b.
Old Sitka
c.
Russian Bishops’ House
d.
WW II Causeway
e.
Castle Hill
f.
St. Michael’s Cathedral
g.
National Cemetery
h.
Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB) Hall
i.
Tilson Building (Building # 29) - Log Cache business site
3. Historic churches/church histories in Sitka (some exhibits/artifacts)
a. St. Gregory’s Catholic Church & St. Gregory’s Chapel (possibility – tours and regular services available in historic chapel on Baranof Street
b.
St. Michael’s Cathedral – exhibits and artifacts – tour – mostly summer
c.
Russian Bishops’ House – exhibits- artifacts – tours – mainly summer
d.
Presbyterian Church (several different Presbyterian church bldgs on Lincoln St in past)
e. Sheldon Jackson College – exhibits – artifacts – tours of hatchery/lab summer
f.
Sitka Lutheran Church – exhibits – artifacts – tours in summer
g.
Sheldon Jackson Museum -exhibits-artifacts- tours
h.
St. Peters By the Sea – exhibits – artifacts – tour
4. Unique Historical/Cultural assets
a. WW II Causeway (totally undeveloped)
b.
Magoun Islands State Park
c.
Kruzof Island (geology/history/recreation)
d.
WW II Boathouse (project – boathouse across bridge)
e.
WW II hangars and other remnants/artifacts of WW II
f.
US Forest Service museum/artifacts in White House
g.
Tilson Buildling (Bldng #29) AKA ‘Log Cache’ (one of two original log structures from Russian pd – other is RBH)
h.
Selected individuals buried in National Cemetery , Orthodox Cemetery/ St. Peter’s by Sea and Lutheran cemetery. For example Bishop Peter Rowe buried in front of St. Peter’s by Sea Church. Truly heroic Alaskan figure. In Nat’l Cmtry - early 20th century sprinter portrayed in “Chariots of Fire”
i.
Pioneers’ Home/grounds (1934 structure flowers)
j.
City office building (1938 - history – selected artifacts – fabulous maps/cartographic resources)
k.
Totem Square – Totem pole AND location for many historic activities: baseball, parade ground…
l.
Site of original ship yards of Russian American Company
m.
Blockhouse (Bureau of Land Mngmnt property) 4 exhibits
n.
Yakov Netsvetov’s grave –(first native Alaskan priest)
o.
Mt. Edgecumbe volcano (4 names – Tlux, St. Lazarias, San Jacinto & Mt. E)
p.
Award-winning (design) bridge from Japonski to Baranof Island
q.
Katlian Street – All of rich historical/cultural/commercial aspects of history
r.
Lincoln Street – Rich multi-layered history: Tlingit – Russian pd – American
s.
Location of WALL between historic Tlingit community and historic R American Community
5. Parks and park areas
a. Sitka National Historical Park
b.
Isabel Miller Museum
c.
Whale Park
d.
Green strip adjacent to Crescent Harbor
e.
Halibut Point Recreation Area
f.
Old Sitka park/wayside exhibits
g.
Pioneer Park
h.
Castle Hill
i.
Totem Square
j.
Blue Lake Road & Sawmill Creek Campground area
k.
WW II Causeway (future park?)
l.
Trails at end of HPR – both sides of road – USFS
m.
Ball fields – Moller Park – Blatchley MS – Baranof Playground – Keet Gooshi Heen playground and recreation areas available adjacent to Mt. Edgecumbe High School and UAS
6. Historic Cemeteries
a. Presbyterian Cemetery (on Indian River Road )
b.
Russian Orthodox Cemetery (largest in Sitka 6+ acres)
c.
On both sides of Marine St – end of Observatory St
d.
Moose Cemetery
e.
Pioneers’ Home cemetery
f.
National Cemetery
g.
Older cemetery behind National Cemetery (name?)
h.
Lutheran Cemetery (typically called Princess Maksoutov’s grave)
i.
Many other grave sites including under parking lot Mac’s Sporting
Goods --- See 1867 model in Isabel Miller and 1845 Model in RBH for location of some of these older cemeteries – burial grounds
j.
Victims of tuberculosis – remains have been moved to home communities for burial
k.
Sitka city cemetery (behind National Cemetery )
7. Trails immediately adjacent to Sitka community --- on or near road system
These trails are listed in various guides provided by Sitka Trail Works, US Forest Service, City & Borough of Sitka, National Park Service, etc. See references.
8. Miscellaneous (Sitka Convention & Visitors Bureau & other sources list many opportunities):
a. Baranof Island has about 50 glaciers (geological history)
b.
Alaska Marine Hwy dock
c.
Rifle Range
d.
Starrigavan region: fishing, picnic, hiking, exploring, rifle range, hunting
e.
Golf course & restaurant on Granite Creek
f.
Alaska Raptor Rehabilitation Center (tours, ed, exhibits, prgrms off-site)
g.
Sea Life Discovery Tours
h.
Allen Marine Tours
i.
Water taxi companies (see directories in phone book, other tourist publications)
See web sites, various charter listings, brokers for lists of charter companies
References (random order):
Jim Case US Forest Service (USDA)
Clarence Wadkins/K & G Griffin /Sue Thorsen Sitka National Historical Park - NPS
Peter Gorman/John Hallum/Bill DeArmond SNHP seasonal rangers
Gateway Study SNHP/NPS (1996)
Dorrie Farrell/Dana Pitts Selected references for walking tour guides
Alaska Naturalist Class UAS/Sitka
2005 Community Profile: Sitka , AK SEDA
Dr. Roger Pearson (Rtd) UAF/Fairbanks
Phyllis Hackett Sitka Through Four Seasons
Sandy Lorrigan & staff Sitka Convention & Visitors Bureau
All About Sitka/2005-2006 The Daily Sitka Sentinel
Pastors/Priests & Publications Sitka churches – history directly connected to Lincoln Street : Russian Orthodox/Presbyterian/Catholic/Lutheran/Episcopal
Sitka & Alaska tourism web sites Googled sites --too numerous to cite
Rollo Pool & employees Raptor Rehabilitation Center
John/Linda Litten & employees Sitka Tours
Deborah Lyons (Exec Drctr) Sitka Trail Works
Rosemary Carlton/Scott McAdams Sheldon Jackson Museum
Karen Meizner & staff Sitka Historical Society ( Isabel Miller Museum )
Sue Barlow Alaska Naturalist Program (UAS/Sitka)
References consolidated - 3/27/06 Sitka Long-Range Tourism Plan Collaborative Process
Dr. Richard Pierce (deceased) Pioneer Alaska historian in Russian history – Limestone Press
Bill De Armond historian & writer
Dr. Heikki Hanka Professor of Cultural History, Jyväskylä University , Jyväskylä , Finland
Dr. Lydia Black (rtd) Professor of Anthropology, University of Alaska/Fairbanks
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