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Have Fun Learning!
In Sitka, curiosity is encouraged, especially
NHL = National
for kids! If you are traveling with kids of
Historic Landmark
any age, they can learn more about Sitka’s
NRHP = National
natural and cultural history while having
Register of
fun and earning their “Junior Ranger” and
Historic Places
“Junior Naturalist” badges.
At Sitka National Historical Park,
participants learn about Tlingit culture, the
rainforest, Russian American history, and
the coastal environment. Once you arrive at
Museum Mile
the park, stop by the visitor center to ask for
a free Junior Ranger Activity Booklet. After
you finish the activities, such as attending
a ranger-led program, interviewing a park
Steeped in Culture and History
can be found around every corner in Sitka. Simply
stroll along the one-mile, 5,000-year-old thoroughfare from the Alaska Native
Brotherhood Hall on Katlian Street to the Sitka National Historical Park at the end
of Lincoln Street, and you’ll find you’ve walked in the footsteps of history.
CULTURE AND HISTORY
1.
ALASKA NATIVE BROTHERHOOD HALL, SITKA
CAMP NO. 1 was built in 1914 as a meeting place
for the original chapter of the now-statewide Native
organization. The fight for Alaska Native rights was born
here, and the camp continues to be an important force in
preserving Native heritage. NHL, NRHP
2. SHEET’KA KWAAN NAA KAHIDI TRIBAL
COMMUNITY HOUSE
3. RUSSIAN BLOCK HOUSE
4. SITKA RUSSIAN CEMETERY is over 200 years old and
contains more than 1,600 graves, many marked with
headstones made from the ballasts of Russian ships.
5. STIKA PIONEER HOME c. 1930 NRHP
6. CABLE HOUSE & STATION c. 1900 NRHP
7. SITKA U.S. COURT HOUSE c. 1930 NRHP
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8. BARANOF CASTLE HILL offers panoramic views of Sitka
and was an early stronghold of the Tlingit Kiks.ádi Clan. Later,
Russian buildings occupied the hill, including “Baranov’s
Castle,” which was home to the Russian Governor until 1894. In
1867, this was the site of the Alaska transfer from Russia to the
United States. NHL, NRHP
9. BUILDING NO. 29 c. 1840 NHL, NRHP
10. RUSSELL’S c. 1920
11. SITKA LUTHERAN CHURCH c. 1967
12. ST. MICHAEL’S CATHEDRAL was built in the 19th century
and was the first Orthodox church in the Americas. The
current building is an exact replica of the original that was
destroyed by fire in 1966. The church still has an active
congregation and houses an important collection of artifacts
and icons that are believed to date back to the 17th century.
NHL, NRHP
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ranger, and completing activity pages,
show your work at the visitor desk and
13. SITKA HISTORY MUSEUM features Sitka’s story from
the U.S. purchase to current day, with rotating exhibits
that highlight different aspects of local history.
receive your official badge!
Participants at the Sitka Sound Science
14. HANLON-OSBAKKEN HOUSE c. 1892 NRHP
Center complete five quests in a self-guided
15. RUSSIAN BISHOP’S HOUSE c. 1842 This log structure is
one of the oldest surviving buildings of Russian America,
and it was the home and office of the first bishop of
Alaska. The house is now a museum that is part of the
National Park Service. NHL, NRHP
journey of exploration through the aquarium
and the salmon hatchery to receive their
Junior Naturalist badge. The program is free,
though normal daily admission rates still
16. ST. PETER’S BY-THE-SEA EPISCOPAL CHURCH, c.
1899, SEE HOUSE c. 1905 NRHP
apply. Ask for more information from any
aquarium staff member.
17. SHELDON JACKSON COLLEGE, c. 1878, is comprised
of over 18 buildings, National Landmark Historic District.
NHL, NRHP
18. SHELDON JACKSON MUSEUM, the oldest museum
in Alaska, began construction in 1895 and has been
occupied since 1897. This was the first concrete building
in the state and houses an exceptional collection of over
6,000 Native Alaskan items from across the state. NRHP
19. SAGE BUILDING/SITKA SOUND SCIENCE CENTER,
built in 1929 during an expansion of Sheldon Jackson
College, housed classrooms and a hydro-plant that
supplied energy to the campus and the surrounding
neighborhood.
20. SITKA NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, c. 1890, is
Alaska’s oldest federally designated cultural and historic
park. NRHP
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