Go Local - Walking Tour from a Local Perspective

Enjoy a candid glimpse into the lifestyle and history of Sitka by walking through town with a local. Along the way, the guide will regale you with stories such as how the Russians first gained a foothold in Alaska in 1804 by overpowering the indigenous Tlingits. Sitka remained the capital of Russian America until 1867, when the United States purchased Alaska. You will see where the land was officially transferred to America at Castle Hill. Once known as the “Paris of the Pacific,” Sitka claims to have had the first opera house, performing arts theater and grand piano on North America’s west coast. Sitka’s interest in the arts is still alive, as you will discover in the galleries downtown and in the Sheldon Jackson Museum, where you may watch local artists painting, sculpting and weaving. The museum’s collection also holds historical art, ranging from totem poles to full-size canoes, some of which the native Tlingits and Inupiats created.