Three Saints Bay is a historic site located on the southeast side of Kodiak Island, Alaska. It holds the distinction of being the location of the first Russian settlement in Alaska, established in 1784. Below is detailed information about the site.
County: Kodiak Island Borough
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: Approximately 57°09′N, 153°30′W
Elevation: Not available
Time Zone: Alaska Standard Time (AKST) (UTC-9)
Established: 1784
Disestablished: 1792
Comments: Three Saints Bay was founded by Russian fur trader Grigory Shelikhov in 1784 as the first permanent Russian colony in America. The settlement served as a base for further exploration and expansion of Russian America. In 1792, the colony was relocated to present-day Kodiak due to unsuitable conditions at the original site. The area also represents the Three Saints phase of the Kachemak tradition, a late prehistoric culture on Kodiak Island.
Three Saints Bay (Russian: Бухта Трёх Святителей, r Bukhta Tryokh Svyatitelyej) is a 9 Mile (14 Kilometer)-long inlet on the southeast side of Kodiak Island, Alaska, north of Sitkalidak Strait. It is 97 km (60 mi) southwest of Kodiak. The Three Saints Bay Site is an archaeological site, the location of the first Russian settlement in Alaska, Three Saints Harbor (Гавань Трёх Святителей, Gavan’ Tryokh Svyatitelyej).
Remains: The site is now an archaeological area with remnants of the original settlement, including depressions indicating former structures and evidence of small-scale agriculture. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978.
Current Status: Uninhabited
Remarks: Three Saints Bay holds significant historical value as the starting point of Russian colonization in Alaska. The site provides insights into early Russian-American history and the interactions between Russian settlers and Indigenous populations.
