Alaska Travel

Sitka

The City and Borough of Sitka is a city-borough located on the west side of Baranof Island in the Alexander Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean (part of the Alaska Panhandle), in the U.S. state of Alaska. The borough seat is Sitka, the only incorporated section. Sitka is the state's fourth-largest city in terms of population and the nation's largest city in terms of area.

Its small downtown area is easily explored on foot. If you can walk a half dozen blocks from the cruise ship dock, you won't need a shore excursion to see most of the sights in town. The name Sitka (derived from Sheetka, a contraction of the Tlingit name Shee At'ika) means "People on the Outside of Shee," Sheet'-ka X'aat' (often expressed simply as Shee) being the Tlingit name for Baranof Island. The town is sometimes referred to as "Sitka-by-the-Sea." more...

Population: 8,400
Location: West side of Baranof Island
Annual precipitation: 82 inches
Temperature: 57°F; precipitation 3.8 inches
Borough: City and Borough of Sitka
Founded: 1799
Incorporated: December 2, 1971
Mayor: Marko Dapcevich
Area: City 12,461.8 km² (4,811.5 sq mi), Water 5,018.2 km² (1,937.6 sq mi)
Latitude: 57.059801
Longitude: -135.337944
Zip Codes: 99835

History of Sitka

The area was originally settled by the native Tlingit (Kolosh) Indians. Old Sitka was founded in 1799 by Alexandra Baranov, the governor of Russian America. Baranov arrived under the auspices of the Russian-American Company, a "semi-official" colonial trading company chartered by Tsar Paul I. In 1802 a group of Tlingit destroyed the original establishment (an area today called the "Old Harbor") and massacred most of the Russian inhabitants.

Baranov was forced to levy 10,000 rubles in ransom for the safe return of the surviving settlers. Baranov returned to Sitka in 1804 with a large contingent of Russians and Aleuts aboard the Russian warship Neva. The ship bombarded the natives' village, forcing the Tlingit's to retreat into the surrounding forest. Following their victory at the Battle of Sitka the Russians established a permanent settlement in the form of a fort, named "Novo-Arkhangelsk" (or "New Archangel," a reference to the largest city in the region where Baranov was born). In 1808, with Baranov still governor, Sitka was designated the capital of Russian America. more...

An overview on Sitka's Economy

Unemployment: 4.20%
Sales tax rate: 6.00%
Income tax: 0.00%.
Income per capita: $27,959
Household income: $59,091

Geography of Sitka

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough is the largest incorporated area in the U.S, with a total area of 12,461.8 km² (4,811.5 mi²). 7,443.6 km² (2,874.0 mi²) of it is land and 5,018.2 km² (1,937.6 mi²) of it, or 40.27%, is water.

Sitka displaced Juneau, Alaska as the largest city upon the 2000 incorporation with 2,874 square miles of incorporated area. Juneau is 2,717 square miles and was formed through incorporation of the borough and city in 1970. Jacksonville, Florida is the largest city in area in the contiguous 48 states at 758 square miles.

Average annual rainfall is 86 inches; annual average snowfall is 39 inches. The average high temperature in August is 62 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average low temperature in January is 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Mount Edgecumbe, a 3,200-foot-tall dormant stratovolcano, is located on southern Kruzof Island. It can be seen on a clear day from Sitka.

Facts for Travellers

Economy of Sitka

Sitka economy: Fishing, fish processing, tourism, government, transportation, retail and health care services all make up various portions of the Sitka economy. Tourism may be stronger during the summer season.

Climate and Weather of Sitka

The climate for Sitka is mild
The weather in Sitka is cool most of the year.
Sitka average annual precipitation is 96 inches per year.
Sitka average annual snowfall is 39 inches per year.
The average winter temperature is 23 to 35 degrees F.
The average summer temperature is 48 to 61 degrees F.

Also Read: Demographics of Sitka | Attractions of Sitka | Transportation in Sitka

Cities in Alaska
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Juneau
Wasilla
Palmer
Sitka
Kenai
Ketchikan
Homer
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