RUSSIAN AMERICAN COMPANY

The history of Russia in Alaska has been prominent in Sitka, known as the former capital of Russian America. For over 150 years, from the late 17 th century, the Russians had a presence in what is now Alaska. The original Russian American Company was established in 1799 to facilitate the fur-trade, primarily the luxurious pelts of the sea-otter, which were sold to China and Europe The early fur trade was dominated then in Alaska by Russian explorers and seamen. After exhausting the lucrative sea-otter populations in the Aleutian Islands and Kodiak areas, the Russians made Sitka their new capital, and the headquarters of the fur trade while Russia controlled the Alaskan territory. The Russian American Company was then the dominant trading company in Alaska. Finally, in 1867, with the fur trade dying and England as well as the US encroaching on the Russian controlled Alaska territory, William H Seward convinced the US congress to purchase Alaska from the Russians for $7,200,000; or a..

Primary location: Sitka United States