 |
|
 State of Alaska > Natural Resources > Parks and Outdoor Recreation > History and Archaeology |
|
|
Alaska's Maritime Heritage: Resources and Projects |
|
|
|
An Overview of Alaska's Maritime Heritage
Alaska's past is preserved in archaeological and historical sites and maritime cultural landscapes along Alaska's coast. For thousands of years, the majority of our state's population has lived along or near the coast where proximity to the sea and major rivers meant ready access to natural resources. Eroding midden deposits and village sites, along with the remains of fish traps and canoe runs, now comprise an archaeological record that bears witness to the marine subsistence strategies and ecological realms of the past. Later, the exploration of Alaska's coast by 18th and 19th century Russian fur-hunters, and their establishment of settlements, also left a legacy of preserved material culture. This includes remnants of pier foundations, the sites of shipyards, eroding settlements, and shipwrecks. The transfer of Alaska from Russia to the U.S. set the stage for the industrialization of fisheries, particularly salmon, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During this period, many of Alaska's coastal villages and fishing camps became the sites of the large canneries with which the communities have identified for generations. This precipitated the establishment of harbors and piers that provided critical transportation infrastructure. This was of critical importance during the gold rush era when coastal waters brought tens of thousands of prospectors to Alaska. During this time, the federal government began building lighthouses at strategic locations, charted the coastline, funded harbors, and established military bases along the coast. All of these chapters of Alaska history left a legacy of tangible maritime heritage, including submerged sites that have not be recorded or studied to the same degree as more easily accessible terrestrial sites. |
|
Office of History and Archaeology (OHA) Heritage Newsletter OHA and SHPO Staff Alaska Historical Commission Alaska Geographic Names Program Alaska Gold Rush Centennials Alaska Archaeological Survey Alaska State Historical Parks Alaska OHA Photo Galleries Cultural Resource Plan for the Denali Highway Lands Frequently Used Resources Alaska Heritage Resources Survey Report Submittal Checklist and Cover Sheet Permits for Investigations on State Lands Permits for Investigations on State Lands Report Submittal Checklist and Cover Sheet Request for SHPO Section 106 Review OHA Projects Castle Hill Archaeological Project Broken Mammoth Archaeological Project The Wreck of the Kad'yak Southeast Alaska Historic Shipwrecks Alaska State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) SHPO Main Page Alaska's Historic Preservation Plan National Register of Historic Places Section 106 Review Process Rehabilitation Tax Credit Certified Local Government Program Education (Project Archaeology) HPF Development Program Historic Preservation Links Historic Preservation Series National Historic Preservation Act Unalaska South Channel (Amaknak) Bridge Project Special Announcements New Hours Set for AHRS Research |
|
 | ||
|
Last updated on Monday, October 8, 2012.
| ||
|
Site optimized for Netscape 7, IE 6 or above.
Not sure who to contact? Have a question about DNR? Visit the Public Information Center. Report technical problems with this page to the Webmaster | ||
 |
 |
|