i

THE RUSSIAN STEAMER POLITKOFSKY

A RUSSIAN-AMERICAN LEGEND 

TEACHER’S RESOURCE MANUAL 

Fig 1.0: The Politkofsky, courtesy of Michael Burwell

“In the hulks of old ships...which decades ago were proud passenger steamers, 

freighters, and towboats, can be read much of the history of Puget Sound and 

Alaska.” 

 -The Seattle Times, October 29, 1939 
ii

INTRODUCTION 

This activity allows students to travel back to the time of early peoples and pioneers of 

Alaska on a journey to the 1700’s, when the Russians assumed authority of Alaska. 

Students learn about different cultures, lifestyles and events of this time period. They 

understand the purchase and transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States, the 

historic gold rush that brought a flood of pioneers to Alaska seeking their fortune, and 

learn of other events that helped to shape Alaska’s history. 

Our vehicle for this adventure will be the last known artifact of Russian-American 

shipbuilding in North America, the Politkofsky. Today, she lies partially preserved 

beneath Norton Sound’s frigid waters, silent but not unheard. This story and the 

activities prepared will be sure to capture student’s imagination and inspire creativity for 

further research. This true tale of adventure will help your students witness history 

through the chronicles of a real Russian ship. 
iii

Overview of Objectives/Standards from the Alaska Department of Education. 

Information obtained in this manual can provide lessons based on these Standards: 

A. Student/Concept Objectives (+ where it fits into the curriculum) 

i. When given a list of important events, students will put their 

dates of occurrence in correct chronological order. 

a. Understand chronological frameworks for organizing 

historical thought and be able to place significant ideas, 

institutions, people, and events within time sequences 

(Alaska Dept. of Education & Early Development, History 

Standard A).

ii. Students will identify and describe at least three major events 

that have shaped the history of Alaska. 

a. Understand the people and the political, geographic, 

economic, cultural, social, and environmental events that 

have shaped the history of the state, the United States, and 

the world (Alaska Dept. of Education & Early 

Development, History Standard B).

iii. When given a map, students will identify the region of the world, 

locate the main areas and trace the major routes studied within 

the lesson.

a. Be able to use maps and globes to locate places and regions 

(Alaska Dept. of Education & Early Development, 

Geography Standard A). 

iv. Students will be able to explain why the areas within the lesson 

serve as major settlements, trading sites and ports.

a. Know that the need for people to exchange goods, services, 

and ideas creates population centers, cultural interaction, 

and transportation and communication links (Alaska Dept. 

of Education & Early Development, Geography Standard 

D).

v. Students will be able to identify and describe some reasons for 

the sale and transfer treaty of Alaska and customs and maritime 

laws involved within the lesson. 

a. Be able to compare and contrast how different societies 

have governed themselves over time and in different places 

(Alaska Dept. of Education & Early Development, 

Government/Citizenship Standard A). 
iv

ABOUT THIS LESSON 

This lesson is based on materials about the sidewheel tug and towboat, Politkofsky, which 

embodies major themes in Alaska history. Other sources include materials on the history 

of Alaska Natives and the history of Russian America. This manual was written by 

Helena Batman, a student at the University of Alaska and intern for the INSTEP program 

at the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service, Anchorage, 

Alaska. It was written with extensive research done by Michael Burwell. The material 

presented allows lessons to be derived from the Alaska Standards for Social Studies 

guidelines including: History, Geography and Government/Citizenship. 
v

TEACHER PREPARATION 

1. Teacher will introduce each chapter through introduction, class discussion, group 

brainstorming, or fast write of what students know of the Russian period in Alaska’s 

history. Teacher will model by telling/showing students what she/he knows of Russian 

history in Alaska. 

2. Teacher will give an overview of what the unit will cover and give information of 

what the assessment will cover. Teacher will require students to take notes. 

3. Teacher will provide materials, chapter reading materials, library/computer time for 

research work. 

4. Teacher may copy and assign students to read each chapter and answer the questions 

at the end of each chapter. 

5. Teacher may construct appropriate questions and activities based on the information in 

this manual. 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

TEACHER’S RESOURCE MANUAL 

Introduction, i

Overview of Objectives/ Standards from the Alaska Department of Education, ii

About this Lesson, iv

Teacher Preparation, v

CHRONICLE OF THE POLITKOFSKY 

Chapter 1: Introduction, 1 

Chapter 2: Russian Exploration, 2

Chapter 3: Russian Fur Trade, 7

Chapter 4: The First Russian Settlement, 15

Chapter 5: The Founding of “New Archangel”, 23

Chapter 6: A Russian Gunboat, 26

Chapter 7: The Transfer of Russian America to the U.S., 29

Chapter 8: The Klondike Journey, 34 

chapter 9: The End of “Polly”, 38 

LINKS (Including “Fun Facts” and Recommended Websites) 

1. Extended Questions for Chapter. 2, 3

2. Chapter: Early Alaska: People and Facts, Questions for Link 2, 7, 10 

3. Chapter: Russian-American Companies/Treaties, Questions for this lesson, 15

4. Russian-American Company/Treaties, 19 Questions, 22

5. Define/Identify, 51 

TIMELINE OF POLLY/ AK EVENTS, 49 

REFERENCES, 52 

IMAGE SOURCES, 53 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 1 

Chapter 1: Introduction

The Politkofsky was a sidewheel steamer built in Russian America in 1863, prior to the 

transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States. The Politkofsky was named after the 

son-in-law of Gregorii Shelikhov, a Russian fur-trading merchant whose idea of 

combining Russian fur companies led to the establishment of the Russian-American 

Company. The Russian-American Company was successful in introducing schools and 

churches throughout Alaska. The Politkofsky is believed to be the last known artifact of 

Russian shipbuilding in Alaska, and so will be used as the vehicle to carry imaginations 

throughout Alaska’s changing years. 

The Russian steamer Politkofsky has witnessed Alaska’s historic changes including the 

transfer to the United States, early fur trading, and the Klondike Gold Rush. She has 

steamed the icy Gulf of Alaska and has carried weary workers throughout the Puget 

Sound. Steamers were built and beached while the Politkofsky made it to the end of an 

era. Her 4,000-mile journey from the Puget Sound to the Norton Sound finally brought 

her to rest beneath the waters near the entrance of the Yukon River, where thousands of 

fortune seekers voyaged to the Klondike gold mines. 

Alaska’s history unfolds with each chapter in this manual. From early Russian 

exploration and settlements, the transfer of Alaska to the U.S., and the Klondike Gold 

Rush, the Politkofsky is sure to capture a child’s imagination. 

This manual provides a basis for lessons on Alaska history, which lead to the legend of 

the Politkofsky. Many chapters have links to further investigate information related to the 

reading, provide recommended websites, review “fun facts,” and offer activities related to 

the reading. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 2 

Chapter 2: Russian Exploration

Fig 1.1: Bering Expeditions (Courtesy of: Meeting of Frontiers: Russian Discovery of Alaska)

Today, people travel to Alaska from around the world in search of new opportunities or 

to experience Alaska’s majestic beauty. But a long time ago, people did not know of 

Alaska. Explorers in search of new lands discovered Alaska and her inhabitants. In 

1725, explorers hired by the Russian Czar Peter the Great voyaged across the northern 

Pacific Ocean to find out what existed between Asia and America. Peter the Great 

employed Vitus Bering, a Danish man who had captained many ships, and Alexei 

Chirikov as Bering’s assistant. 

The expedition began on February 5, 1725, from St. Petersburg. It took 3 years for them 

to get through Russia to the Kamchatka Peninsula (on the coast of the Pacific) to begin 

the voyage on the open ocean. After sailing northeast on the ship St. Gabriel, Bering 

spotted an island known today as St. Lawrence Island. He then passed the Diomede 

Islands and finally sailed into the Arctic Ocean. Seeing that the continent of Asia was out 

of sight, he concluded that Asia and America were indeed separated by an ocean. Bering 

did not see the land to the east as he sailed back to the Kamchatka Peninsula. If he had, 

he probably would have continued his expedition to the new land. 

In June of 1740, under the permission of the Russian Senate, Bering began another 

mission to find land on the other side of the ocean. Two ships were built in 

Petropavlovsk, one to carry Bering and the other to carry Alexei Chirikov. Bering’s ship 

was named St. Peter and Chirikov’s ship was named St. Paul, both after the Christian 

Saints Peter and Paul. The ships were ready to voyage the next year and so set sail in 

1741. Bering and Chirikov had intended to sail together, but they eventually got 

separated. Alexei Chirikov made it to what is now Sitka harbor and was able to sight 

Natives in that area. But unable to go to shore Chirikov decided to return to Russia, not 

knowing the fate of Bering and his ship. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 3 

Meanwhile, Vitus Bering had sighted Mt. St. Elias and landed on Kayak Island. A 

naturalist and physician, named Georg W. Steller, accompanied Bering on his expedition. 

While there, they explored and mapped the island and found evidence of human 

inhabitants. Bering decided to return to Russia, but the trip home was difficult. Strong 

seas delayed them and most of the crew fell ill, including Bering himself. Not being able 

to make it any longer, they landed on an island, which is now named Bering Island. The 

ship they were on wrecked to pieces and the crew fell sick. Many died there, including 

Vitus Bering. 

Fig. 1.2: Mt. St. Elias on Kayak Island (Courtesy of Deborah Mercy)

LINK 1*** 

DID YOU KNOW? 

- After Czar Peter the Great died in 1725, his wife Catherine I took control and 

administered Peter the Great’s desired expeditions to the New Land. 

- A Czar is a male emperor of Russia that ruled before 1917. The Russian Revolution 

ended the era of czars. 

- Catherine I was the first empress of Russia. 

- The town of Petropavlosk on the Kamchatka Peninsula was founded in 1740 by 

Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikof. Petropavlosk means “the town of Peter and Paul.” 

- Georg Steller became the first European naturalist to observe and record North 

American plants and animals. His records were later published and used by other 

early explorers, including Captain Cook. Today, a number of animals and birds are 

named after him including the Steller Sea Lion, Steller’s Jay, and Steller’s Eider. 

After Bering’s death, the survivors were able to live off the island’s resources. Sea 

mammals were the main source of food, especially the sea lion. Also plentiful were the 

sea otter, fur seal, and many foxes. These furs were very valuable, especially the sea 

otter. They discovered a huge stock of precious furs that motivated them even more to 

return to Russia. Russian fur traders had hunted and trapped many animals throughout 

the continent of Asia and had depleted many of the fur-bearing animal populations. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 4 

Because Russia and China had established a fur-trading agreement, the discovery of an 

abundance of furs would replenish the market for Russia. 

With materials from the wreckage they were able to build a boat. Nine months later, they 

sailed back to their homeland bringing new charts of the discovered land and, more 

importantly, a multitude of valuable furs. 

With the information that Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikov attained, the mystery of the 

uncharted lands unfolded. These first explorations led the way for later expeditions that 

would change the fate of Alaska forever and begin Russian settlement. Today, Vitus 

Bering is known as the first explorer to “discover” Alaska (Andrews, 1938). 

LINK 1 Cont’d.** 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION ON:

Vitus Bering: WorldHistory.com at: http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/V/Vitus-Bering.htm 

Alexei Chirikov: Discoverers Web: Chirikov at: 

http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/chirikov.html 

Bering Expedition: Meeting of Frontiers: Alaska: Russian Discovery of Alaska 

at: http://frontiers.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfak/mfakdis.html 

Large map of Bering’s Voyages: ExploreNorth.com at: 

http://www.explorenorth.com/library/maps/n-beringmap1.htm

Georg Steller: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia at: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Steller 

Marine Mammals 

and Conservation: University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Marine Advisory Program 

at: http://www.uaf.edu/MAP/conservation/ 

Russian Czars: Meet the Romanov Rulers, Romanov Timeline at: 

http://www2.sptimes.com/Treasures/TC.2.3.html 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 5 

Questions/Activity for Chapter 2 

True/False 

1) In 1725, Vitus Bering sailed with Peter the Great to the Arctic Ocean. _____ 

2) Georg Steller became the first European naturalist to observe and record animals, 

Plants, and birds on Bering’s Expedition. _____ 

3) Other explorers, such as Captain James Cook, used Georg Steller’s records to 

educate them in their explorations. _____ 

4) Catherine I took over Peter the Great’s throne in 1725 and became the first 

Russian Empress. _____ 

5) The town of Petropavlosk was founded in 1740 by Saints Peter and Paul. _____ 

6) tus Bering sighted St. Lawrence Island in 1728 but did not set foot on it._____ 

7) Alexei Chirikof was Vitus Bering’s assistant. _____ 

 

Put these events in the order by which they first happened. 

1)________ A) The town of Petropavlosk was 

 founded. 

2)________ B) Vitus Bering landed on Kayak 

 Island. 

3)________ C) Alexei Chirikov anchored in 

 Sitka Harbor. 

4)________ D) Vitus Bering spotted St. 

 Lawrence Island. 

5)________ E) Vitus Bering landed on Bering 

 Island. 

6)________ F) Bering and Chirikov set out for 

 their second adventure. 

7)________ G) Many furs were brought to 

 Russia from Bering Island. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 6 

LINK 1 Cont’d.** 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION ON:

Vitus Bering: WorldHistory.com at: http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/V/Vitus-Bering.htm 

Alexei Chirikov: Discoverers Web: Chirikov at: 

http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/chirikov.html 

Bering Expedition: Meeting of Frontiers: Alaska: Russian Discovery of Alaska 

at: http://frontiers.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfak/mfakdis.html 

Large map of Bering’s Voyages: ExploreNorth.com at: 

http://www.explorenorth.com/library/maps/n-beringmap1.htm

Georg Steller: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia at: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Steller 

Marine Mammals 

and Conservation: University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Marine Advisory Program 

at: http://www.uaf.edu/MAP/conservation/ 

Russian Czars: Meet the Romanov Rulers, Romanov Timeline at: 

http://www2.sptimes.com/Treasures/TC.2.3.html 

More Questions for Chapter 2 

1. Define expedition. Why did the explorers from Russia try to find Alaska? 

2. Who was Vitus Bering? Alexei Chirikov? 

3. What was the “land to the east” when Bering sailed back to the Kamchatka 

Peninsula on the first expedition? 

4. Which explorer made it further on the second expedition? 

5. Identify some resources Bering’s crew used to survive on the island they wrecked 

on. 

6. What has been named after Vitus Bering? 

7. Why were furs valuable to Russian markets? 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 7 

Chapter 3: Russian Fur Trade

Fur-bearing animals have been sought after since the beginning of humankind. Animals 

not only provided food, their pelts were used as clothing and for products that could be 

made out of the skin and hair. Sea otter pelts were the most desired because of their silky 

texture, warmth, and beauty. These pelts were also highly demanded in the Chinese 

trading industry, which Russia had a trade agreement with. 

The Russian fur hunters and traders, or the promyshlenniki, had a large business with 

China. The Treaty of Kiakhta had opened trading ports between Russia and China. 

Russia could exchange items such as furs, hides, and leather for Chinese silk, rice, and 

tea. 

The Russian government was not entirely interested in pursuing possession of Alaska or 

fully interested in further exploration of the new land. But the arrival of Bering’s highly 

prized furs in Russia sparked the interest of fur hunters across Siberia. Many 

promyshlenniki readied for the adventure of sailing to the new islands knowing that the 

many fur-bearing animals would bring them wealth. 

Upon reaching the new islands, the promyshlenniki were greeted by the Aleut Native 

people unique in appearance and language. Communication was made by gestures; and 

because both cultures knew the concept of trading, immediate trade of materials began. 

The Natives were excited to receive the new items including clothing, tobacco, pipes, 

needles, and knives. In exchange, the Russians were given food, ornaments, and other 

items, which they thought were “primitive.” They discovered that the Natives did not 

have access to modern weapons. Also, because they wanted to gather the furs in the 

quickest manner, they encouraged--and even forced--the Natives to provide the animals 

for them. The promyshlenniki forced them to comply by taking their wives and 

sometimes their children as hostages. 

LINK 2*** 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Alaska’s name was given by the Aleuts of the Aleutian Islands. They called their land 

“Alyaska” or “Alaksu.” The Russians interpreted it as “Alaska” and the United States 

Congress later accepted this name. 

The hunters had to travel further northeast as the animals became scarce. Native contact 

throughout the whole journey to the American mainland revealed different groups of 

Natives throughout the region. The Aleut presence proved to be helpful, as the Aleuts 

were able to communicate more easily with other groups of Natives. And, because of 

their subsistence lifestyle, they were fully adept at gathering food and materials. 

Observing their skills and absorbing their styles, the Russians were able to advance and 

improve their own hunting and boating skills. They were able to adapt to this lifestyle 

and eventually settled in Alaska with the intention of establishing fur-trading sites. But 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 8 

many Alaska Natives were not happy with the idea of permanent Russian settlements, 

especially with their use of force with weapons and hostage taking. Eventually, Russian 

hostility and exploitation of Native land and resources caused a fight between the Natives 

and the Russians. 

Thousands of animals were taken from the Aleutian Islands. The Steller’s sea cow is an 

example of an animal that became extinct because of overhunting. It was discovered in 

1741 by Bering's crew stranded on Bering Island. It grew up to 35 feet long and weighed 

up to 8 tons. Steller's sea cows did not have any teeth; they ate marine algae and kelp. 

They had a very thick layer of skin, so they were able to live in cold water. These 

animals were also slow moving and had no fear of humans, which made it easy for the 

well-armed Russian hunters to harvest them. The hunters ate the meat and used the tough 

skin for making boat covers, clothing, and leather. They hunted the sea cow so 

persistently that in 1768, less than 30 years after it had been discovered, the sea cow 

became extinct. 

 LINK 2 Cont’d.*** 

DID YOU KNOW? 

The Steller’s sea cow, although it resembled a whale, was placed in the same family as 

the manatee. It was also closely related to the elephant.

The sea otter was the most prized fur-bearing animal sought. In fact, between 1750 and 

1790, so many animals had been killed that the sea otter was near extinction. Because the 

sea otter’s population was very low, a hunting ban was later enforced under American 

rule and the trade for sea otters collapsed. Because of protection from the International 

Fur Seal Treaty in 1911, the population has increased. 

LINK 2 Cont’d.** 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Russian Fur Trade Meeting of Frontiers: The Alaskan Fur Trade at: 

http://frontiers.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfak/mfakfur.html 

Steller’s Sea Cow Explore North- The Steller’s Sea Cow at: 

http://www.explorenorth.com/library/yafeatures/blseacow.htm 

Aleut People Quick overview and links to information on Aleuts at: 

http://www.ontalink.com/native_americans/aleuts.html 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 9 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 10 

LINK 2: Early Alaska: People and Facts

DID YOU KNOW? 

Alaska covers 586,412 square miles, which 

is twice the size of Texas, one-fifth the size 

of the whole continental United States, and 

larger than Sweden, Norway, and Finland 

combined. Alaska is the only state to have 

coastlines on three different seas: the 

Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the 

Bering Sea. The coastline is 33,904 miles 

long (State of Alaska website). Alaska is 

the northernmost, easternmost, and 

westernmost state in the United States 

(Alaska Trivia and Information 

Website).

Fig. 2.1 (Courtesy of Multimakers, 1999 @Alaska’s Best Homepage)

It is believed that long ago there 

was a great ice age that caused 

the land to be exposed between 

Siberia and Alaska. Many 

anthropologists speculate that 

people traveled to Alaska from 

Siberia to find food by 

following herds of animals to 

hunt and to gather plants and 

berries. After the Ice Age, the 

water level rose to cover this 

land mass between Siberia and 

Alaska. This land mass was 

called Beringia.

Fig. 2.2: Map of Beringia (Courtesy of the Beringian Heritage 

 International Park Program, National Park Service) 

These first people who stayed in Alaska and their descendants are called Alaska Natives. 

Because Alaska is such a large territory, people migrated and settled in different areas. 

Each group developed its own language and lifestyles. One thing common among all 

Alaska Natives, or aboriginals, is the subsistence lifestyle. They lived off the land by 

what the environment had to offer--by hunting and gathering wild plants, berries, fish, 

and game, which provided needed food, clothing, and materials. Each geographical 

region of Alaska offered different animals and plants to support these lifestyles and the 

survival of each group. 

During this early time period in Alaska, there were no cities, airplanes, or stores. There 

were no modern houses. Some people did not live in one location year-round. As the 

seasons changed, they traveled to different places to live in order to find food. For 

example, families would often leave their winter homes in the spring to move near a river 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 11 

to catch fish for winter use. They would call this spring and summer home a fish camp. 

Groups also created preservation methods to preserve their catch for winter, as there were 

no refrigerators or freezers. In fact, each Native group developed its unique fashion of 

clothing, shelter, tools, and methods of hunting that would enable its members to be 

successful in their hunting and their survival. Each group’s diet and material resources 

were based on the variety of animals and plants available in its region. Because Alaska is 

so large, many people moved to regions where renewable resources were available. 

Trading between villages and other Native groups was done for the benefit of receiving 

items such as food and tools not available in its own region. For example, coastal 

Eskimos often traded seal oil for moose meat with the interior Indians. 

It is believed that there were close to 80,000 Alaska Natives spread throughout the 

territory when explorers first came in contact with them. Alaska Native cultures are 

unique and are classified into five major groups: Aleut, Yuit (Southern Eskimos), Inupiat 

(Northern Eskimos), Athabascans (Interior Indians), and Southeast Coastal Indians, 

which include the Tlingit and Haida (Langdon, 1993). They were grouped by language, 

similar lifestyles, and residence within a relatively close proximity to each other.

Fig 2.3 Map from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/greatland/ax/primary_fs.html

(1) The Aleut people live on the rocky islands of the Aleutian chain up to the Alaska 

Peninsula. Foreign explorers came into contact with these people first, because they 

lived directly between the Asian and North American continents. At the time of contact, 

the Aleut population was estimated at about 18,000 people (Langdon, 1993). 

(2) The Yuit people, or Yupik-speaking people, include the Eskimos along the coast 

stretching from St. Lawrence Island to Prince William Sound. They can be further 

classified into the Bering Sea group and the Pacific group. Within these groups, different 

languages are spoken. The St. Lawrence Island group speaks Siberian Yupik; the Yukon 

and Bristol Bay groups speak Central Yupik; and the Eastern group, from the Alaska 

Peninsula to Prince William Sound, speaks Alutiiq. At the time of contact, the total Yuit 

population was estimated at more than 30,000 people (Langdon, 1993). 

(3) The Inupiat people are located along the northern shores of Alaska from the Seward 

Peninsula through the northern mainland of Alaska to Canada. These people can also be 

further classified into four Eskimo groups, depending on their exact location. These 

include the Bering Straits, Kotzebue Sound, Interior North Alaska, and North Alaska 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 12 

Coast people. At the time of contact, it is estimated that the Inupiat population was 9,600 

(Langdon, 1993). 

(4) Athabascan Indians are located in the vast interior of Alaska, north and east of the 

Brooks Range and south to the Cook Inlet. This group can be further classified into nine 

groups, depending on location and language. These groups of people include the Ingalik, 

Koyukon, Tanana, Holikachuk, Kutchin, Han, Upper Tanana, Ahtna, and Tanaina. The 

Athabascan population at the time of contact was estimated at about 11,000 (Langdon, 

1993). 

(5) The Southeast Coastal Indians include the Tlingit and Haida Indians. They are 

located along the southeastern shores and mainland. They are closely related to the 

Indians that occupy the west coast of America. At the time of contact, it is estimated that 

the Southeast Coastal Indian population was roughly 15,000. They too can be further 

divided by language and location (Langdon, 1993). 

Alaska Natives continue to live throughout the state and many still speak their Native 

languages and follow their subsistence lifestyles. Today, the population of the State of 

Alaska is approximately 627,000 (U.S. Census Bureau). There are fewer than 100,000 

Alaska Natives throughout the state, making up only 19% of the total population (USA 

Today). 

By 1866, the Aleut population had decreased by 75% 

since the first Russian occupation in the late 1700’s. 

Alaska Environments 

Alaska’s climate varies throughout the state. The Interior is the most extreme for 

temperature differences. This central area lies between the Alaska Range and the Brooks 

Range. It has long, cold winters and short, hot summers. There are no large mountains, 

but the landscape is filled with tundra, small trees and rolling hills, and often has 

thunderstorms and forest fires in the summer. The Arctic region stretches along the 

southwest coast up to the northern region into Canada. Cold winters and moderate 

summers are normal in the southern area, while colder winters and cool summers 

characterize the northern region. Trees and tundra inhabit the southern region, while the 

northern region has tundra but not many trees. The Southcentral and Southeastern

regions are characterized by having a moderate climate throughout the year. Rainfall is 

more prevalent in the Southeast, and the temperatures are mild throughout the year. 

Towering trees occupy this mountainous region and crisp water is everywhere, as it is 

made up of many islands. The Southcentral area has colder winters, more snowfall, and 

warmer summers. This region hosts abundant trees, large valleys, and tall mountains. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 13 

Questions for LINK 2 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION ON: 

Beringia: The National Park Service, Beringian Heritage International Park 

Program at: http://www.nps.gov/akso/beringia/index.htm 

Alaska Natives: Alaskool Central at: http://www.alaskool.org 

Alaska Facts: State of Alaska, Of Interest, Alaska Facts & Visitor Information at: 

http://www.state.ak.us/

National Geographic Society, Alaska: The Great Land at:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/greatland/ax/primary_fs.html 

l. Select one Alaska Native group and describe the area they inhabited. What 

geographical region of Alaska did they settle in? What do you think their climate 

is like? 

2. Pretend you are a child living in 1705, before any European contact. Select an 

area of Alaska that your family settled in and give a brief description of what your 

diet would consist of. 

3. How do you think the early people of Alaska traveled between settlement sites? 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 14 

4. Identify two items each that might have been traded between the coastal Inupiat 

people and the interior Athabascan people. Give brief description of these items 

and why each group would want to trade these items. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 15 

Chapter 4: The First Russian Settlement

Fig. 3.1: Grigorii Shelikhov, courtesy of Meeting of Frontiers: Alaska

In 1784, Grigorii Shelikhov, a fur trading merchant, led an expedition to the southeastern 

part of Kodiak Island. Because of Kodiak’s protected waters and available resources, he 

chose that area for their first [permanent] year-round post. This Russian settlement was 

named Three Saints Bay after the ship that Shelikhov arrived in. Storehouses and other 

buildings were built to establish New Russia. But after a while, timber became scarce. 

In 1792, they decided to move the capital from Three Saints Bay to the northern part of 

Kodiak because of the plentiful forests there. Their new establishment, which they 

named Pavlov Harbor, or St. Paul Harbor, became the new Russian American capital. 

This is where the city of Kodiak is today. 

LINK 3** 

DID YOU KNOW? 

By the end of Russian colonization in 1867, the population of Alutiiq people in 

Kodiak had decreased from about 8,000 to 2,000. 

Grigorii Shelikhov returned to Russia and began his mission to obtain rights for furtrading in the New Land. He appointed Alexandr Baranov to take over his duties at the 

new capital and appointed him manager of the Russian Trading Post, which held the 

monopoly of the fur-trade industry in Alaska. Alexandr Baranov was a trading merchant 

from Kargopol, Russia who frequently did business with the Chukchee people on the 

Kamchatka Peninsula. He was a strong-willed man who had a vast knowledge of the 

trading business, and Shelikhov trusted him. 

In the meantime, many other explorers with established fur-trading companies were 

invading Russian America. Baranov saw that there was intense competition for trading 

relations with the Natives. Something had to be done quickly to establish the one 

Russian trading company that would hold all rights to the New Land, and he hoped that 

Shelikhov would hurry. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 16 

First Shipbuilding in Alaska 

Because of the new fur-trading frenzy, many ships were wrecked and lost on the voyages, 

and the goods they were carrying, including the many furs harvested, never made it to 

their destinations. The loss of those ships and the many lives were detrimental to the 

region’s trading business, including the importation and exportation of goods and 

services. Years could go by before a ship with everyday supplies would arrive from 

Russia. Although Baranov was forbidden to conduct business with foreign ships, he was 

forced to trade with them and occasionally needed to lease a whole ship. In turn, the 

leased ships were protected by the Russians from Natives who were hostile to foreign 

invasion and suppression. Also, the owners of the ships were permitted to occupy the 

Russian ports and use Russian resources. Protection of the foreign crews and their 

generous hospitality required valuable time and a depletion of limited Russian resources. 

Russian ships were needed, and eventually the request for local shipbuilding was 

approved by the Russian government. 

Materials were sent by Shelikhov to Three Saints Bay. However, because of the vast 

forests for lumber and other valuable resources located on the mainland, a place on the 

south side of the Kenai Peninsula, near present-day Seward, was chosen as a suitable first 

shipyard site. Workmen were sent, along with the scant supplies, to begin building a 

ship. Because they did not have enough materials, they had to use various local resources 

including spruce gum and whale oil for tar, whale oil and other pigmented materials for 

paint, and a distilled mixture from pine trees for turpentine. The ship was constructed 

with hand-hewn planks. This first ship to be built in Alaska, the Phoenix, was completed 

in August 1794. It was 73 feet long, 23 feet wide, 13.5 feet deep and weighed 180 tons. 

The Phoenix had two decks and three masts with the sails crafted from pieces of 

scavenged canvas found between the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kodiak Island. 

Two smaller ships were built near Kodiak in 1795, named the Olga and the Delphin. 

These ships allowed travel to Native villages and rival posts which, in turn, allowed 

Shelikhov to retake the regions that were being invaded by the French, British and rival 

Russian companies. 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Hand-hewn planks are pieces of wood cut and shaped with hard blows of a heavy 

cutting instrument such as an axe or a chisel. Trees were cut down, stripped of 

their bark and formed into flat timber and boards. 

Ships were very important to the many promyshlenniki who wanted to voyage to the rich 

fur-bearing animal areas in the Aleutian Chain. Okhotsk, is located at the mouth of the 

Okhota River on the Sea of Okhotsk, which lies between the Kamchatka Peninsula and 

the Kurile Islands. This was a major center for shipbuilding, because of its location, but 

there was a shortage of materials needed for basic ship construction and a lack of 

knowledgeable shipwrights to build the ships. But because ships were greatly needed, 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 17 

rudimentary ships were built, called shitiks, which were sewn together with natural 

materials such as willow wands. But the shitiks were too unstable, and the limited 

resources were needed for longer lasting ships. The shipyards started building galiots

and brigs which were larger and more seaworthy. Meanwhile, shipbuilding in Russian 

America had begun with the construction of the Phoenix, but there were not enough men 

and materials to continue. Also, the timber used in building the ships was not suitable for 

the ribbing of the ships, so the effort to continue building ships was postponed 

indefinitely. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 18 

LINK 3 Cont’d.** 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: 

Grigorii Shelikhov Meeting of Frontiers, The Russian-American 

Company at: 

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfak/igcompan

y.html 

Alexandr Baranov Discoverers Web: Baranov at: 

http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/baranov.ht

ml 

Kodiak AK Native Knowledge Network at: 

http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/aeb.html#iid 

Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository in 

Kodiak at: 

http://www.alutiiqmuseum.com/index.htm 

Sitka Sitka Convention and Visitor’s Bureau at: 

http://www.sitka.org/ 

Russian Shipbuilding 1RSS-First Russian Sailing Ships at: 

http://www.1rss.com/main/index_eng.htm 

Questions/Activity for Chapter 4 

1. Research different types of ships and identify differences between these ships. 

Examples of ships: Shitik, Galiot, Brig, Schooner, Barge 

2. Challenge students to use the library or online resources to create a map showing 

the routes of travel for Russian explorers and the first Russian settlements. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 19 

**LINK 4: Russian-American Company/Treaties 

Fig. 4.1 The Russian American Flag, courtesy of: http://www.mcn.org/1/rrparks/fortross/Curriculum/flag.htm

From the beginning, Shelikhov had a vision of obtaining all the rights of fur trading in the 

new land. His plans of combining the Russian fur companies together and to extend 

Russia’s colonization were partially met by the Russian government promising him 

exclusive rights to the trade profits in Russian America. These rights were granted to 

Shelikhov and his partner Ivan Golikov in 1783 and the company was named the 

Shelikhov-Golikov Company. After Shelikhov’s death in 1795, his son-in-law Nikolai 

Rezanov, assisted Shelikhov’s widow in managing the company. Rezanov wanted to 

fulfill Shelikhov’s desire for a company that would obtain all rights to the trading 

business in the New Land, but also thought that it could actually become something more 

powerful. He had a plan. With help from the Russian government, Rezanov helped to 

enact a law in 1797 that all Russian companies unite under one new corporation named 

the United American Company. Rezanov then proceeded to change the company’s name 

and its position. He wanted a company that would not only monopolize all sources of 

profit gained in the new colony but would also serve as a kind of government within a 

government and would employ armed forces to “govern” the land. Not wanting to have 

to answer to the Russian Government meant that Rezanov’s company would be in charge 

of everything in the new colony and any new colonies that would be established. This 

company became known as the Russian-American Company. 

The Russian-American Company brought huge profits to its shareholders at home and. in 

turn, the company was given whatever it needed to pursue Russian possession of the New 

Land.. The Russian-American agreement in 1799, with the Russian government, 

“allowed the privileges and duties held by the Russian-American Company for twenty 

years.” After that, the government could renew its contract or take over the colony 

(Chevigny, 1965). The agreement included “the use of everything discovered, or to be 

discovered, to make new settlements and to the use of appropriate defense” (Andrews, 

1938). Alexandr Baranov was appointed Governor of the new colony. 

The first 20 years were so successful for the Russian-American Company and the 

Russian government, that the agreement between them was renewed in 1821 for another 

20 years. Churches and schools were built in Russian America. The rights of the people, 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 20 

including the Natives, were upheld and progress was made to acquire further colony sites 

along the American west coast. 

The Russian Orthodox Church 

After the establishment of the first Russian settlements, Baranov, in cooperation with 

Shelikhov, requested Catherine I and the Russian Orthodox Church to send missionaries 

to Russian America. They wanted to extend their faith to the Natives and to care for the 

spiritual needs of the Russian settlers. Empress Catherine sent eight monks from the 

Russian Orthodox Church in 1794. But it was not until 1826 that the first Russian 

Orthodox Church was dedicated in Russian-America in Unalaska. Today, the Russian 

Orthodox faith is still a prominent religion in Alaska. 

The Russians had explored and had settled along the west coast of America from 

Southeast Alaska to Washington Territory south to California during this time. Because 

of the increasing costs of maintaining these new settlements, they eventually leased 

Southeastern Alaska from Portland Canal to Cape Spencer to the British and eventually 

sold their property at Ft. Ross in California. The cost of maintaining the posts in distant 

Alaska was a constant strain on Russian shipping resources, and the Russian government 

over time grew discouraged over the cost of protecting Russian American interests from 

other European powers. 

The Hudson’s Bay Company was an English fur-trading business that originated in 

England but occupied the lands that were near and along Hudson Bay. They traded with 

the Natives of Canada (called the First Nations people) for furs and then shipped them 

back to Europe, where they were sold for a large profit. They had no rival companies and 

were satisfied that they did not have to search for furs, because the Natives brought the 

furs to them. That soon changed with the introduction of the North West Company from 

Montreal, and an intense rivalry began in the search for more furs. This led the first 

Europeans down through the Rocky Mountains and to the west coast of America, where 

they encountered new lands and eventually the Russians. To prevent company rivalries, 

the Russian-American Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company signed an agreement 

that gave the British company trading rights and privileges in Southeast Alaska. Today, 

Hudson’s Bay Company still exists, serving as a major retail outlet. They have stores 

throughout Canada. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 21 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION ON: 

Russian-American Company Meeting of Frontiers: Gallery, The Russian-American Company 

at: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfak/igcompany.html 

Hudson’s Bay Company Exploration, the Fur Trade and Hudson’s Bay Company at: 

http://www.canadiana.org/hbc/ 

Nikolai Rezanov Meeting of Frontiers: Gallery, Nikolai P. Rezanov at: 

http://frontiers.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfak/igrezanov.html 

Russian Orthodox Church Firebird Videos. Com. Producers of Educational Materials 

about the Orthodox Faith and Cultures, Life of St. 

Innocent/Alaska at: 

http://www.firebirdvideos.com/saintslives/lifeofinnocentak.htm 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 22 

LINK 4 Questions 

DRAW A LINE TO THE CORRECT Trading Company 

RUSSIAN-AMERICAN CO. 

HUDSON’S BAY CO. 

• Monopolized all trading sources in 

Russian America 

• Furs were obtained by First Nations

people and shipped to Europe 

• Previous names include United American 

Company and Shelikhov-Golikov 

Company 

• Company still exists today as a major 

retail outlet 

• Had an agreement with Russian 

Government for rights and privileges in 

New Land for twenty years 

• First rival company was the North West 

Company from Montreal 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 23 

Fig. 5.1: Sitka, Alaska

Chapter 5: The founding of “New Archangel”

In 1799, Baranov proceeded across the Gulf of Alaska, to the Southeast islands, into a 

harbor he had seen before, where he had been planning for some time to establish a 

settlement. The “Sitkans,” Natives in that area, already had a settlement there, but 

Baranov swiftly negotiated the purchase of land for a Russian site nearby, located about 6 

miles north of present-day Sitka. Later, Baranov moved to the Native site, built a 

barracks surrounded by a stockade and named the settlement “Novo Arkangelsk” or 

“New Archangel,” a place we now call Sitka, Alaska. There, ships carrying explorers 

from England, France, Spain, and America that were already frequenting nearby waters 

came to New Archangel to trade. 

Russians were still enlisting the Natives as slaves, and exploiting the land and natural 

resources, so local Tlinget Natives were not friendly. There were many tribes within the 

area of Sitka, referred to as the Kolosh people by the Russians. These Tlinget tribes, 

including the Kakes and the Chilkats, surrounded the Russian settlement camp while 

other tribes, as far south as Vancouver, BC, came to retake their land. War took place 

and the Russians were driven out, only to return later with guns, ammunition and cannons 

five years later. In 1804, the lost settlement was regained and New Archangel became 

the new capital of Russian-America. 

During this time, shipwrecks were common because of the hurried construction of ships, 

lack of materials, and uncharted waters. Many ships that were built to patrol Russian 

territory and to trade on other shores, including the Phoenix, wrecked and were lost. To 

provide for the needs of transportation and trade, shipbuilding had to be continued at 

New Archangel. The new settlement was a good place for ship construction because the 

tall yellow cedar trees used to construct ships grew in abundance there. 

Shipbuilding at New Archangel began shortly after the establishment of the Russian 

American capital with the intention of using these new ships to trade and patrol their 

waters. It took an average of two years to build a ship. But that’s only if the materials 

were readily available. Fir, larch, cypress, ash, and cedar were all used as different 

construction materials. The design for building ships was not done from reading any 

plans or “blue prints.” They were built from memory and by visually copying other ship 

designs. Although these were primitive techniques, many ships were built this way. Not 

just anyone could build a ship. Some Russians were sent to school to learn to build ships. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 24 

But in Russian America, there were no schools and there weren’t many Russians who had 

received instruction on shipbuilding. Therefore, Creoles (people of Native and Russian 

blood) were sent to Russia to be educated as shipwrights (shipbuilders). 

Tenders, brigs, schooners and tugs were among the first vessels built in the very early 

1800’s in New Archangel, including the Avos, which was a steam tender. The steamers 

Nikolai I and the Mur were both constructed in 1839. The Mur was named after an 

American engineer who had been employed by the Russians to build the boat and other 

vessels. In 1847, the Mur was sold and the Baranof, replaced her. 

Fur-trading was a very lucrative business, and other foreign companies were illegally 

moving in on the northern fur trade. In 1821, the Russians restricted trade on the coast to 

only Russian ships and told all other foreign ships to stay off the shore 100 miles unless 

there was an emergency. A treaty of trade with Great Britain was made in 1825 agreeing 

upon the boundary between Canada and Russian America (which remained after the sale 

of Alaska to the U.S.). Later, the U.S. allowed the same agreement with the British, 

letting their ships frequent Alaska waters and trade with the Natives. 

LINK 4*** 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION ON: 

Ship Construction Alaska Department of Natural Resources: Kad‘yak

 Site at: http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/oha/kadyak/ 

kadyakindex.htm 

Russian Shipwrecks MMS, Alaska OCS Region Shipwreck site at: 

http://www.mms.gov/alaska/ref/ships/ 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 25 

Chapter 5: Questions 

1. Research the Treaties of Trade pertaining to Alaska waterways. 

2. How did the settlers learn to build ships? 

3. What materials did they use to build ships? 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 26 

Chapter 6: A Russian Gunboat 

In 1862, construction of a new steam tugboat began in New Archangel. The ship was 

built of Alaska yellow cedar. This wood was chosen because it was a local tree that was 

very strong, durable, and resisted decay. The ship’s boiler and the spikes that held the 

planking to the hull were said to be made of copper that was mined locally. The copper 

boiler was 1⁄2- 3⁄4 in. thick and the copper spikes were pounded by hand to secure the 

planks. This vessel was named the Politkofsky. She was named after the RussianAmerican-Company chairman, Vladimir Gavrilovich Politkofskiy, who was married to 

Aleksandra Shelikhov, Grigorii Shelikhov’s daughter. V.G. Politkofskiy became 

chairman of the Russian American Company in 1848 after spending four years as a 

member on the board of directors and became a military general in 1850. V.G. 

Politkofskiy was chairman of the Russian-American Company for the next 15 years 

(Marine Digest 1986, By Capt. Kevin Hekrdle). 

The Politkofsky was a sidewheel paddle steamer, 125.5 ft. long, 21.3 ft. wide, 8.9 ft. deep 

and weighing 152 tons. She was built to take the place of the ship Imperator Nikolai I. 

The engine was salvaged from the Nikolai and put into the Politkofsky. The “Polly,” as 

she was later called, used a crosshead steam engine until 1896, making it the oldest 

running steam engine and the last of its kind on the West Coast. Her old fashioned steam 

engine only produced 15-30 lbs. of steam pressure, while more modern steam engines 

produced 200 lbs or more. Although the engine was outdated and slow, the Politkofsky

was so successful in towing and hauling, that she competed well with “modern” ships. 

Fig. 6.1: The Politkofsky

It was once believed that the Politkofsky was built as a “gunboat” for precaution against 

the unruly Natives, against illegal trading between the Hudson’s Bay Co. and the French, 

and against the British fleet threatening New Archangel. But further evidence proves that 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 27 

although there were guns on board, she was mainly a working boat, used as a tug, towing 

and trading vessel. Or was she? 

In October 1865, the Politkofsky was placed into service. She was not fast or fit for the 

open sea so she was stationed in the port of New Archangel. The steamer visited many 

Native villages on trading expeditions, transported barges and rafts filled with wood and 

coal, and towed sailing ships into the harbor of New Archangel and out to sea. She was a 

popular and usual sight to see among the local waters and was used faithfully until her 

boiler sustained extensive damage after towing the ship Kamchatka out to sea in 

November 1866. She was then docked and another boiler was ordered from Victoria, BC 

for delivery by the fall of 1867. 

But something more important was about to take place and efforts to repair her were 

postponed. 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON: 

Russian-America Meeting of Frontiers: Alaska, The Russian Colonization 

of Alaska at: 

http://frontiers.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfak/mfakrcol.html 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 28 

Ch. 6 Questions/ Activity 

1) Why do you think building the Politkofsky was important? 

2) Would the Politkofsky receive her new boiler and be ready for Russian 

service in 1867? 

3) Research Alaska during this time period. What important event was about 

to happen? 

4) Was is possible that the Politkofsky was a gunboat? Why? What are some 

reasons that she would be a gunboat? 

5) What were her main duties in 1865? 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 29 

Chapter 7: The Transfer of Russian America to the U.S. 

The sole purpose of the Russians coming to the new territory and establishing permanent 

settlements was because of the fur trade. Fur trading was a great resource for quick and 

large sums of money and Russia had a market for furs in China. Fur-bearing animals, 

such as the sea otter, were plentiful when the Russians arrived in Alaska and for many 

years they hunted and killed these animals only for their fur. Soon the animals could not 

reproduce fast enough and the animals became scarce. It didn’t help that the Hudson’s 

Bay Company competed in the fur market. 

Russians in Russian America never numbered more than four hundred at any given time 

(Chevigny, 1965). Russian America was a fur producing colony and the Russian 

government never wanted to over commit valuable resources to its development. 

The Russians gradually lost control in America. Profits from the furs were declining and 

the cost of maintaining the posts in Alaska was too high. Also, Russia became more 

interested in developing territories north of China, as they would be easier to develop and 

maintain because they were on the same continent. Eventually, the Russian government 

became open to the idea of selling Russian America. 

Although the Hudson’s Bay Company was a strong candidate for taking over the New 

Land, the Russians were firmly opposed to Great Britain, their adversary in the Crimean 

War. Meanwhile, hearing of the possibility that Russia might sell, and wanting to extend 

U.S. borders further to the West, United States Secretary of State, William Seward 

swiftly negotiated a deal with Russian Minister, Edouard de Stoeckl for an original $5 

million sale. It was finally negotiated and agreed upon by the U.S. government to offer 

$7.2 million. In May 1867, the sale of Alaska to the United States was official, and since 

Alaska has roughly 586,412 square miles, the purchase came to less than 2 cents/acre. 

Some members of the U.S. Congress opposed this purchase because of the large 

undertaking of manpower to control the land, and its seeming lack of resources. To 

William Seward, the sale of Alaska seemed profitable. Seward saw in Alaska vast forests 

for lumber, rivers and streams for producing an abundance of fish, numerous mineral 

deposits, and of course fur-bearing animals. 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Members of the U.S. Congress called Alaska: 

“Seward’s Folly,” “Seward’s Icebox,” “Land of Icebergs,” and “Walrussia.” 

They thought of Alaska as “worthless” and “barren.” 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 30 

Fig. 7.1: Cancelled check used to pay for Alaska 

At 3:30pm on October 18, 1867, the Politkofsky was likely witness to the ceremony 

which transferred Russian America to the United States. Russian troops headed by Capt. 

Peshchurov, and U.S. troops headed by General Rousseau had recently arrived at New 

Archangel. The difference of the two nations was apparent as the cloudy, gray afternoon 

displayed the dark-uniformed Russians contrasting with the blue-uniformed Americans. 

The American soldiers outnumbered the Russians. With the majestic mountains and 

crisp waters adding to the scenic backdrop, the ceremony transferred Russian America to 

the United States. 

Three American ships, the Ossipee, the Jamestown, and the Resaca were present in the 

harbor. The flag exchange took place in front of Russian Governor Maksutov’s mansion. 

Alternating shots from Russian and American cannons were fired, as the Russian flag 

was lowered and the United States flag was raised. As the Russian flag was being 

lowered, the wind caught and tangled it, and it was mistakenly dropped from the pole; the 

American flag was swiftly raised. 

 

Some accounts say that the Politkofsky was even more involved in the transfer ceremony. 

The Seattle Post Intelligencer in a June 6, 1909 article stated that the ceremony took 

place on the deck of the Politkofsky, with her large bronze whistle loudly signaling the 

transfer. No one can prove this ever happened but it makes for a great story and enriches 

the narrative of the steamer. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 31 

Fig. 7.2: 37-Star U.S. Flag in 1867 

The sale of Russian America also led to the sale of the Russian-American Company. Its 

resources were purchased by Americans who eventually formed the Alaska Commercial 

Company which had a multiyear monopoly on fur seals skins in the Pribilof Islands and 

proved to be a very profitable enterprise. After the fur-trading industry dwindled, the 

“AC Company” moved into the retail business, and sold merchandise throughout Alaska. 

After the sale, many Russians who had transportation back to their homeland left, while 

those who stayed were promised U.S. citizenship. 

America’s Politkofsky 

The Russian-American Company wanted to liquidate as many of its assets as possible. 

They sold their incidentals, fort merchandise, and even ships, including the Politkofsky, 

for very low prices to American investors. The Politkofsky was sold to Hayward M. 

Hutchinson, an American contractor, who purchased a large part of the RussianAmerican Company merchandise and Abraham Hirsch, his partner. Hutchinson would 

later be recognized as was one of the founders of the Alaska Commercial Company. On 

January 15, 1868, the Politkofsky became an American vessel as authorized under the 

Transfer Treaty. 

On April 10, 1868, the Politkofsky was sold by Hutchinson and Hirsch to the newly 

formed American company called the Hutchinson, Kohl and Company, which later 

became the Alaska Commercial Company. Later that afternoon, the Politkofsky was 

loaded with cargo consisting of copper sheets and bolts and Russian iron and departed for 

San Francisco to be overhauled. Captain William Kohl was in command of the 

steamship. It took nine days to reach their first anticipated stop, Victoria, British 

Columbia. Her popularity became evident as the local paper, the Colonist, described her, 

as “one of the most magnificent specimens of home-made marine architecture...” After 

three weeks of temporary repairs, she sailed for San Francisco. Six days later, she arrived 

in San Francisco, her farthest travel yet. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 32 

Upon arrival, her goods were unloaded and her heavy copper boilers were sold for an 

estimated $4400, which would turn out to be more than Hutchinson originally paid for 

her. There she sat until March 1869, when she was sold to George Meigs who ran a 

lumber mill in Port Madison on the Puget Sound. Her intended purpose was to be a 

towboat and to haul freight for the lumber mill. There she worked alongside the steamer 

Eliza Anderson and even assumed her duties when the Anderson was tied up for repairs. 

Steam power was still new technology on the West Coast and the Politkofsky’s small 

draft allowed her access to the mills on the Puget Sound. Thus, her long service on the 

Puget Sound began in April 1869. 

Although she had been through repairs and had some additions, she was not a sleeklooking ship. She was referred to as “snub-nosed” and clumsy. But no on really cared 

because the Polly was a very dependable, hard-working craft. She worked as a mail and 

passenger boat, tugboat, and freighter. Because she worked for so long on Puget Sound, 

her decks provided training quarters for many shipmen who would eventually run newer 

ships. She towed day in and day out, only resting for repairs. 

Because of George Meigs’ financial problems, the Polly went through two more owners 

until she was sold to Captain William Renton, owner of the Port Blakely Mill Company. 

He grew so fond of the Polly that he called the tug his “pet.” She spent her final thirteen 

years of labor at the Port Blakely Mill. During this time the Polly was part of a fleet that 

welcomed President Benjamin Harrison to Seattle in 1891. 

In 1896, the Polly was retired. Her engines and her cannons were taken off and she was 

cut down and made into a barge. She was beached at Port Blakely that same year. This 

was a new era of faster, sleeker vessels in Puget Sound and the Polly was outdated. 

But the legend of the Politkofsky was still in full swing. Her beginning as a Russian 

gunboat, her journeys between Alaska and California, and the dependable service she 

achieved in Puget Sound proved her tireless capabilities and helped to create her ongoing 

story. 

 “Rocks can’t hurt the Old Polly....we never felt uneasy when she hit the beach.” 

 - Martin Paup-engineer on the Polly for 16 years 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION ON: 

Transfer Treaty ExploreNorth: The Transfer of Alaska from Russia 

to the U.S. at: 

http://www.explorenorth.com/library/yafeatures/blAlaska1867.htm 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 33 

Chapter 7 Questions 

1. Research the Treaty of Cessation. Explain what it is and why it is important to 

Alaska. 

2. Does the Alaska Commercial Company still exist? If so, where are they located and 

what is their business? 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 34 

Chapter 8: The Klondike Journey

The S.S. Portland had an interesting career from the beginning. She was a two-deck 

wooden vessel built in 1885 in Bath, Maine. She was originally named Haytien Republic

because it was intended that she carry passengers and freight between the United States 

and Haiti. During one of many Haitian Revolutions, she was seized, held for ransom, 

then released due to the arrival of the U.S. Navy. Back on the East Coast, she was 

repaired and recruited as a supply ship for Alaska. She sailed around Cape Horn, but 

only made it to San Francisco because of the large expense of fueling her. The Haytien 

Republic then went through two more owners and is believed to have been used in illegal 

smuggling operations. The Haytien Republic was mortgaged and released but caught in 

the act of transporting illegal aliens, so she was sold again. Her future looked better as 

she was completely overhauled and renamed the Portland. Her new journeys took her to 

British Columbia to retrieve coal. Later, she was chartered by the North American 

Trading and Transportation Company in Seattle to transport passengers to St. Michael, 

Alaska and back. On June 17, 1897, the Portland finally became prestigious by bringing 

in two tons of Klondike gold to Seattle, gaining the nickname “Gold Ship,” and 

effectively starting the Klondike Gold Rush overnight. 

In August 1896, gold miners Skookum Jim Mason, George Washington Carmack and 

Dawson Charlie discovered gold in today’s Bonanza Creek, which is located in the 

Klondike region of the Canadian Yukon Territory. News of this discovery spread slowly 

throughout the region and almost a year would go by before the discovery would spark a 

flurry of excitement for money-minded prospectors The S.S. Portland arrived in Seattle, 

Washington on July 1897 carrying an excited group of miners with an estimated two tons 

of gold (worth almost $1 million) retrieved from the Klondike mines. Thousands of 

people, intent on sharing the wealth, would begin their arduous journeys to the greatest 

gold rush site in history. 

There were two main routes to get to the Klondike gold fields in the Yukon. And no way 

was the easy way. From Seattle, the miners would sail 1,000 miles through the Inside 

Passage to Skagway where they would embark on the 32 miles up the Chilkoot Trail. 

From there, they would arrive at the Yukon River where they had to travel another 500 

miles to get to Dawson City. 

Actually there were two trails originating out of the Skagway area. One, the White Pass 

Trail, and the other, the Chilkoot Pass Trail, led out of nearby Dyea. Both met at Bennett 

Lake where there was still another 500 miles to travel down the Yukon River by boat to 

Dawson. The miners had to build boats at Bennett Lake, the headwaters of the Yukon 

River. More than 100,000 people from all around the world set out on this grueling 

journey to the Klondike. 

The other main route was the 4,000 mile sea route. It took prospectors out of Seattle 

through the Juan de Fuca Strait, through the Gulf of Alaska, through the Aleutian Chain 

at Umiak Pass, stopping to coal at Unalaska in the Aleutians, and up through the Bering 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 35 

Sea to the town of St. Michael on Norton Sound. From there, they would embark on the 

trip to Dawson by river steamer up the Yukon River. 

By the end of 1897, the Klondike Gold Rush was in full swing and every available ship 

was needed to take the flurry of miners north. One year after the Polly was retired, she 

was pulled off the beach and converted into a two-masted barge to haul coal. The Yukon 

Transportation Company immediately put the Polly and her old pal the steamer Eliza 

Anderson into service. The Eliza Anderson had also been beached and was quickly 

pulled off during the rush to Dawson. In her hasty repair, she was not seaworthy but used 

anyway. The Politkofsky was needed to carry coal for the Eliza Anderson. The Richard 

Holyoke was the tug employed to pull the Politkofsky, the schooner Bryant, and the W.K. 

Merwin, which would be used to take the gold miners up the Yukon River to Dawson. 

The journey was 2,300 miles from Puget Sound to St. Michael. 

Fig 8.1: The Journey to the Yukon 

They departed on August 10, 1897 on the journey that would take at least forty days. 

First, the Eliza Anderson left and was followed by the Richard Holyoke towing the 

Merwin, the Politkofsky, and the Bryant. A large crowd gathered to see the odd 

procession of ships leaving Elliott Bay. 

Troubles immediately began with the Eliza Anderson. There were too many passengers 

and not enough staterooms, so the passengers were outraged. Crew bunks were 

relinquished and the passengers were told to sleep in shifts. The Eliza Anderson also 

rammed a clippership while enroute and needed to be repaired. On that arduous journey 

north, the Eliza Anderson had the opportunity to get coal from the Politkofsky only twice. 

Later, the Eliza Anderson got separated from the Richard Holyoke during a storm. The 

Richard Holyoke proceeded on to Dutch Harbor while the Eliza Anderson ran out of fuel 

and supposedly foundered at sea. It was later learned that her crew had to chop up the 

furniture and walls of the ship to throw into the furnaces to maintain power. On one 

lucky day, they arrived at an abandoned site near Thin Point on the Alaska Peninsula 

where they found enough wood and coal to get the Eliza Anderson to Dutch Harbor. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 36 

Unfortunately, upon arrival at Dutch Harbor, the Eliza Anderson further wrecked and was 

beached for lack of materials and coal to continue the journey to St. Michael. In the 

meantime, still not knowing the fate of the Eliza Anderson, the Richard Holyoke made its 

way to St. Michael with the Polly, the Merwin, and the Bryant still in tow. They made it 

to the mouth of the Yukon River, 29 days after leaving Seattle, and in good condition. 

On September 11, 1897, the Holyoke left St. Michael with the Bryant in tow. Meanwhile, 

twenty-eight people from the Eliza Anderson still wanted to get to the gold fields, so they 

chartered the whaling schooner Baranoff. Once in St. Michael, they boarded the 

sternwheeler Merwin, and left up the Yukon River. Bad luck would not leave them and 

only two hundred miles upriver, the Merwin got trapped in the ice, where she would have 

to wait until the following spring to travel again. And almost a year later, the Merwin

actually arrived in Dawson with the exhausted yet determined miners who had persisted 

with the very difficult journey to the Klondike. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 37 

Chapter 8 Questions/Activity 

1) Review the map of the two main routes to the Klondike. Which route did the 

Eliza Anderson and the Politkofsky take? 

2) How long would it take them? 

3) Research the Klondike Gold Rush. Write an essay that explains the two journeys 

to Dawson City. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 38 

Chapter 9: The End of “Polly”

After making it to St. Michael in September 1897, the Politkofsky was sold to the North 

American Transportation and Trading Company. Since being reconfigured as a barge, 

she was described as having one deck, two masts, no head, and a round stern. With 

limited capabilities now, she was said to have been used as a lightering platform and 

landing barge for ships and steamers coming into the bay. She was tied up near shore for 

almost a year and was later beached by winter storms. Photographers and written 

accounts place the Polly ashore, in front of the NAT&T Company warehouses, beginning 

in 1898. There she was deserted and forgotten and considered a “disabled hulk” and a 

“derelict.” In the next two decades, her cedar planking would pull away from her ribs 

and decay around the copper spikes which the Russians had skillfully hammered out for 

her by hand. Passersby pulled these copper spikes and took them as souvenirs of their 

journeys to the gold rush. 

Eventually the weather, ice and tidal action dragged the Polly relentlessly away from the 

shore. In April 1915 a storm finally demolished any visible sign of her above the water’s 

surface. 

The Politkofsky Today

But the destruction of the Politkofsky would only intensify and enhance her long list of 

unique and characteristic tales. Rumors about the copper spikes would increase their 

worth in trading. In 1951, local Natives would identify the “exposed ribs of an old wreck 

lying a short distance off shore” as the Polly. In the mid-1980’s, an instructor at a 

community college in Valdez indicated, through research, that the remains of the 

Politkofsky were still there. In 1997, an Iditarod musher noted the presence of a ship 

beneath the shallow waters off of Healy. 

The Politkofsky still exists, her remains submerged and preserved beneath the waters of 

St. Michael Bay. Efforts are being made to interview local elders to see what they 

remember of the old steamer. Also, locating the wreck and doing a survey of what 

remains of the Polly would increase the chances of classifying the Politkofsky as a 

Registered National Historic Site. Today, the Politkofsky is known as the sole surviving 

artifact of Russian-American ship building in North America. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 39 

The Politkofsky has a colorful past, one that is remembered today because the vessel had 

been present for the most important times of Alaska and Pacific Northwest history. She 

has many stories about her, although she was not a ship to see far off lands and open seas. 

Although her journeys were short in comparison to many larger ships, she encountered 

many important people and witnessed many important events. Major events and 

astounding journeys include: 

• Her creation that began with Russian explorations 

• A personal view of relations between Alaska Natives and foreign explorers 

• The Russian Fur Trade 

• The establishment of large new settlements 

• Introduction of the Russian Orthodox Church and schools for children 

• An intimate look at the transfer of Alaska to the U.S. 

• Voyages that brought her to San Fransisco, Puget Sound, Gulf of Alaska, the 

Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea. 

• The famous Klondike Journey 

Politkofsky Artifacts 

The Politkofsky was famous enough to ignite myths still spoken of today. The ship's 

story as Russian gunboat, its part in the Alaska transfer ceremony, and as part of the Eliza 

Anderson gold rush flotilla lent an importance to the vessel’s artifacts, and it is through 

them that the Politkofsky’s legacy continues to live. At the Transfer Ceremony in Sitka 

on October 18, 1867, the Politkofsky's cannons were said to have been fired, in salute to 

the performance, and her great bronze steam whistle sounded throughout Alaska’s 

beautiful Sitka harbor. It is also said that President Taft opened the Alaska-YukonPacific Exposition by blowing the Politkofsky’s bronze whistle in 1909. Even the copper 

spikes that were used to hold her together, have been collected by gold seekers at the 

mouth of the Yukon, near St. Michaels, and are still being sold today on e-Bay. 

The Hull 

An intriguing chronicle of the Polly's hull is the story of Captain "Billie" Moore, famed 

Yukon River steamer master and son of the founder of Skagway, sending Alaska 

Governor J.F.A. Strong a cribbage board made from a piece of the Politkofsky's cedar 

hull. Unfortunately, the cribbage board has never been found. 

Copper Spikes 

When the Politkofsky finally went ashore at St. Michael, it was little more than an old 

barge with a colorful past. As the elements and local salvors tore pieces from the wreck 

and it gradually disintegrated, more and more of its hull became splintered and exposed, 

revealing a favored item among tourists and enterprising traders. These were the 8-inch 

long, hand-forged copper spikes that fastened the ship's planking to the ribs. Many spikes 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 40 

were pulled from the hull in this era and sold as curios to tourists stopping at St. Michael 

at the conclusion or beginning of their Yukon River voyage. 

Steve Henrikson, Curator at the Alaska State Museum, confirms that the museum has six 

spikes from the Politkofsky, four of the original copper spikes, as well as two iron 

spikes, and the museum also has a letter opener made from a copper spike. Three 

copper spikes from the Politkofsky have found their way into the collection of the 

Anchorage Museum of History and Art, one of which was donated by famed Alaska 

artist Fred Machetanz. 

In February 2000 a Politkofsky letter opener appeared at auction on e-Bay. Miles Collier 

ex-Alaskan and Alaskana collector from Whittier, CA won the auction. He paid a 

whopping $305 for the spike. On the blade of the 9 3⁄4 inch letter opener it reads: 

Forged from Original Spike from Shipwreck of Russian Gun Boat 

"Politofski" built near Sitka Alaska in 1852 

Wrecked at St. Michael Alaska About 1902 

Both dates and the spelling of the ship’s name are incorrect; nevertheless, this letter 

opener is likely one manufactured specifically for tourists in the late 1920’s and early 

1930’s. 

A little over a year later, in April 2001, a copper spike from the Polly appeared for 

auction on e-Bay. The winning bidder was David Sampson, a Juneau teacher of Alaska 

history with a Russian-American specialization. 

Politkofsky Copper Spike 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 41 

Cross-Head Engine 

The Politkofsky's 60 horsepower crosshead steam engine was originally purchased for the 

Russian steamer Nikolai I in Boston or New York. The engine machinery and probably 

the boiler were brought around Cape Horn by sailing ship to New Archangel in 1838. On 

board was Edward Moore, a Yankee machinist, to install the steam engine and boiler in 

the newly built side-wheel steamer Nikolai I. Moore trained the local Creoles as 

shipwrights, ran the foundries, and was engineer on the Nikolai I. 

The Nikolai was scrapped around 1852, and her engine and boiler were placed in the hull 

of a new steamer, the Imperator Nikolai I (also called the Nikolai), in 1853. On 

November 1, 1861 the Imperator Nikolai I wrecked in Chatham Strait. The crew was able 

to salvage all of the steam engine and other machinery. This salvaged steam engine is the 

same one that would eventually power the Politkofsky. 

Once on Puget Sound in the hand of her new American owners, the Politkofsky's

crosshead engine was one of the last operating crosshead steam engines in the country 

and the oldest steam engine of any design operating on the West Coast. 

Cannons 

Many accounts have the Politkofsky taking an important role in the Transfer Ceremony in 

Sitka by firing its cannon and sounding its huge glistening whistle of dark bronze to 

commemorate the event. Some sources even claim that the ceremony itself took place on 

the steamer’s deck. The truth is it has not been proven that the tug was even in port that 

day. Nevertheless, its suspected participation in the Transfer Ceremony probably 

assigned more historical identity to the ship and its artifacts than any other event. 

No one agrees on the number or type of cannon the steamer carried. Various sources 

have the number of cannon ranging from 4, 6, 8, and 16 guns, up to as many as 24. In 

Sitka for decades, cannons had been constantly trained on the Indian part of town, and 

Russian boats in the harbor carried cannon as mobile armed platforms. On trading trips 

to the Native villages, it was standard practice for a vessel to let local Native villagers 

know it was armed by firing or "exercising the guns" when entering port. 

A recently discovered photograph of the Polly being rebuilt in San Francisco proves that 

the tug had at least three gunports on the aft deck, and port and starboard gun ports 

forward. It is now clear that the Politkofsky had some armament aboard for protection, 

signaling, and for “exercising the guns”--probably 4 to 5 guns and a small brass gun for 

signaling. 

One of the Polly's cannons was displayed at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in 

Seattle in 1909; another found its way to Tacoma, Washington in 1878. This gun was 

fired to celebrate the Northern Pacific Railroad's decision to build a switchback over the 

summit of the Cascades and bring the first railroad terminus in Washington Territory to 

Tacoma. In July 1887 it was fired again to celebrate the first train traveling east over the 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 42 

new rail line from Tacoma and the first train arriving from the east later in the day. Its 

most important sounding was its 42-gun salute fired on Nov. 11, 1889 when President 

Harrison signed the bill admitting Washington to statehood. 

The second known cannon from the Polly was given to the University of Washington's 

Burke Museum at the turn of the century. It was later donated to the Museum of History 

and Industry in Seattle. This cannon has the Russian imperial double eagle design cast 

into the metal. 

The third cannon is at the Alaska State Museum and arrived in Juneau from Seattle April 

29, 1916 on the steamer Alameda, a gift of the Port Blakely Mill Company. It is still in 

Juneau, and its dimensions match those of the gun at Tacoma. The cannon is in the 

permanent collection of the Alaska State Museum but is not on display due to the 

Museum’s concern that the ramp and elevator leading to the Russian-American exhibit on 

the second floor cannot support the gun’s weight. The cannon sits on a wheeled wooden 

pallet nestled in a bed of dense white foam packing in the State Museum basement, 

sharing a closet with a washing machine and dryer, called affectionately the ‘’laundrycannon room,’’ by curator of collections, Steve Henrikson.

The fourth cannon is in the hands of the MacMillan family in Seattle who were given the 

gun by the Port Blakely Mill in 1891. Today, the cannon graces the grounds of the 

MacMillan's summer home at Sequim, Washington. 

 Politkofsky Cannon

The Steam Whistle

Probably the greatest representative of the old sidewheeler Politkofsky's legacy is its large 

bronze whistle. It is said to have been sounded in Sitka when Alaska was transferred to 

the United States in 1867, and its alleged participation in this monumental occasion 

began its career as official herald for later important events in Pacific Northwest history. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 43 

A newspaper narrative appearing in the June 6, 1909 Seattle Post-Intelligencer, described 

the transfer ceremony ending with a blast from the Polly’s whistle: 

The guns crashed out mightily and leaped back against their restraining tackle as 

the cross of Imperial Russia came down and the Stars and Stripes floated to the 

masthead. Then, from the throat of the huge glistening whistle of dark Chinese 

bronze came a roaring bellow that drowned out the barking of the guns and 

echoed and reverberated through the hills behind the town. 

As charming as these narratives paint the whistle’s early years, the standard pipe threads 

in its base probably mean its installation on the tug couldn’t have occurred until after she 

reached Puget Sound in 1869. Even so, the huge bronze whistle was quite old, said to 

have been cast in China "in the middle part of the last century." The whistle has an 

overall length of 37 inches, a bell length of 181⁄2 inches, a circumference of 32 inches, and 

weighs 117 pounds. For years it was considered the most powerful whistle on the Pacific 

Coast and in earlier years it laid claim to being the most powerful steam whistle in the 

world. 

While the Politkofsky towed log rafts and lumber schooners and delivered freight from 

1869 to 1896, her whistle was heard throughout Puget Sound for all those 28 years and 

was described as "a welcome sound to lonely loggers" when the tug arrived bearing 

supplies and mail. When the vessel was finally past its prime and beached at Port Blakely 

in August 1896, the whistle was taken off the ship and warehoused in Seattle. 

A number of years later, in 1909, the whistle was installed in the steam power 

house at the University of Washington campus--also the grounds for the soon to 

open Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, The whistle was electrically linked by 

telegraph to the White House where exactly at noon on June 1, 1909, President 

William Howard Taft pressed a telegraph key fashioned from Klondike gold 

nuggets, sending a signal westward that activated a powerful steam blast from the 

Politkofsky’s whistle, formally opening the exposition.

After the AYP Exposition, the whistle remained on the university campus "loudly 

proclaiming crew race victories, New Year arrivals and other celebrations" until 1929 

when a new power plant was built on campus. The whistle changed hands a number of 

times until it eventually found its way to the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society in 

the 1950s. 

In 1962, the whistle was again pressed into service to open another world’s fair, this time 

Seattle's Century 21 Exposition. The whistle was hooked up to a local steam supply for 

the special blow that would open the fair on April 21. True to the historical pattern 

established by President Taft opening the AYP in 1909, a special telephone line 

connected President Kennedy to the World's Fair Headquarters and the steam plant in 

Seattle. Kennedy at the Kennedy family compound in Palm Beach, Florida opened the 

Seattle World's Fair by pressing the same gold-encrusted telegraph key used by Taft. The 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 44 

historic blast from the Politkofsky’s whistle opened Century 21 at 11:59 a.m. on Saturday, 

April 21, 1962. 

Unlike President Taft’s telegraph signal, Kennedy’s electronic signal took a wildly 

circuitous route to the fair. Seattle historian, Murray Morgan writes of the opening 

signal: 

Kennedy's touch activated a computer in Andover, Maine, which focused 

a radio telescope on the star Cassiopeia A--60,000,000,000,000,000 [sixty 

quadrillion] miles away--picking up a vibration that had started across 

space exactly ten thousand years before and relaying it to Seattle, where 

its arrival set bells ringing, people cheering, cannons booming, and two 

thousand balloons inscribed with the invitation "SEE YOU IN SEATTLE" 

floating upward. 

The whistle's job continued as its blast sounded for every one millionth visitor who 

passed through the gates of the fair. 

The legacy of the Politkofsky continues a vigorous existence through its material remains, 

yet, strangely, its most important contribution as artifact seems to have been overlooked: 

as the sole example of Russian-American ship construction remaining in Alaska, if not 

North America. 

 

 Politkofsky Whistle 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 45 

The Lost Painting of the Politkofsky

For years the location of the original painting of the Polly was a mystery. until a copy of 

Michael Burwell’s original paper on the Politkofsky found its way to the Bainbridge 

Island Historical Society in 1993. Katy Warner, local Bainbridge Island historian, wrote 

the author explaining that her great Uncle John Moss--handy-man and sign painter--

painted the picture around 1879, and that for years it had hung in the saloon of the 

Bainbridge Hotel at Port Blakely. The picture is now displayed at the Bainbridge Island 

Historical Society. Before this author’s recent research inadvertently made this 

connection, the location of the original painting was unknown and the photograph of the 

painting by Ashael Curtis at the Washington State Historical Society in Tacoma was 

considered the "original" image. 

The "primitive" folk-art painting is roughly 91⁄2 X 24 inches, done in oils on fiber board. 

The artist Moss was better known as a local handy man and sign painter. Katy Warner 

believes Asahel Curtis must have photographed the painting while it hung in the Blakely 

Hotel bar. Warner’s father, Alvin G. Welfare, kept the painting after it was given to him 

by the bartender when the saloon closed in the early 20's. It hung in the Welfare home 

for many years, but Katy’s mother couldn’t stand the picture and finally put it in the attic 

where the mice gnawed off a corner. Katy rescued the painting and donated it to the 

Bainbridge Island Historical Society. The Society has recently restored the painting. 

 

 

 Politkofsky Painting Gnawed by Mice 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 46 

 

Politkofsky Painting Restored 

Vickers' Monument 

While not really an artifact, the Charles Vickers monument is still a part of the 

Politkofsky’s legacy. This large marble grave monument is the largest and most ornate in 

the Kane Cemetery at Port Madison, Bainbridge Island, Washington. It was erected after 

Vickers, a second engineer on the Politkofsky, was killed in engine accident aboard the 

tug in 1875. The name “Politkofsky” and smoke rising from the stack can still be made 

out below the bas relief carving of the steamer underway at the center of the monument. 

 Vickers’ Monument 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 47 

It is little wonder that her cannons and whistle have continued to carry the historical 

legacy of the ship today. It is also little wonder why the Politkofsky holds dear in the 

hearts of historians, shipwreck seekers and educators. It is hoped that one day soon, the 

Politkofsky be recognized in the National Registry of Historic Sites. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 48 

Chapter 9 Questions/Activity 

1. Research on the Internet or at the library articles, pictures and artifacts of the 

Politkofsky. Identify where her whistle is today. Identify where her cannons are. 

Where are her copper spikes? Are there any books written about the Politkofsky? 

2. Who is said to have blown Politkofsky’s bronze whistle to open the Yukon-Pacific 

Exposition? 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 49 

TIMELINE OF POLLY/AK EVENTS 

1728 

Vitus Bering sights St. Lawrence Island and one of Diomede Islands 

1741 

Alexei Chirikov sights mainland, Vitus Bering sets foot on New Land 

1784 

First European settlement in Alaska, on Kodiak Island 

Aug. 1794 

First ship, Phoenix, built in Alaska 

1799 

Czar Paul claims Alaska as Russian possession 

1799 

Russian-American Company established 

1804 

First Russian-American capital at Sitka 

1835 

Steam engine built in Boston (New York?) 

Jan. 8, 1863 

Construction of the last vessel built in Russian America began under the administration of Chief Manager 

Furuhjelm 

Nov. 19, 1864 

Hull completed and launched at New Archangel harbor 

Sept. 6, 1865 

Began sea trials 

Oct. 1865 

Placed into service as steam tug transporting wood and coal at the Port of New Archangel 

Mar. 1867 

Convention formalizing the sale of Russian-America 

May 14, 1867 

Russia ratified Treaty 

May 28, 1867 

U.S. ratified Treaty 

May 29, 1867 

Politkofsky sold to Hutchinson & Hirsch 

June 30, 1867 

Admitted by Treaty 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 50 

Oct. 18, 1867 

Politkofsky present at transfer ceremony; blew steam whistle/fired cannon? 

Jan. 15, 1868 

Politkofsky becomes American property 

Apr. 11, 1868 

Departs for San Fransisco 

May 1868 

Copper boilers sold 

Apr. 4, 1869 

Polly departs for Puget Sound 

Aug. 1896 

Politkofsky beached after three decades of towing in Puget Sound 

1897 

Pulled off beach, converted to schooner barge 

Aug. 10, 1897 

Politkofsky left Seattle under tow of Richard Holyoke 

Sept. 11, 1897 

Politkofsky made it to St. Michael, Alaska 

1903 

Politkofsky wrecked, drifted on beach 

1909 

Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition opened; Politkofsky’s bronze steam whistle blown by Pres. Taft to open 

ceremonies 

1912 

Noted that hull still intact 

1915 

Hull finally breaks up in storm 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 51 

LINK 5** 

DEFINE/IDENTIFY: 

BeringiaPeter the GreatVitus BeringAlexei ChirikovPromyshlennikiTreaty of KiakhtaInternational Fur Seal TreatyGrigorii ShelikhovAlexandr BaranovIvan GolikhovNikolai RezanovRussian-American CompanyHudson’s Bay Company- 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 52 

REFERENCES 

Langdon, Steve J. (1993). The Native People of Alaska. Greatland Graphics: 

Anchorage, p. 5. 

USA Today.com at: 

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/ak.htm 

Exploration, The Fur Trade, and the Hudson’s Bay Co. at: 

http://www.canadiana.org/hbc/intro_e.html 

NPG State Facts (U.S. Census Bureau) at: 

http://www.npg.org/states/ak.html 

The Cultural History of Fort Ross-Outpost of an Empire-Russian Expansion to America. 

by: Stephen Watrous 

http://www.mcn.org/1/rrparks/fortross/Russian%20American%20Company.htm 

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park 

Klondike Gold Rush at: 

http://www.nps.gov/klgo/history.htm 

Hekrdle, Kevin (July 19,1986). Marine Digest: The ex-Russian Steamer Politkofsky Was 

Called Polly Here. 

CRA History (Congress of Russian Americans) An Overview of the Russian-American 

Heritage at: http://www.russian-americans.org/CRA_History.htm 

Retrieved from the Web on August 9, 2004. 
Chronicle of the Politkofsky 53 

IMAGE SOURCES 

Kayak Island Photo 

University of AK, Fairbanks, Marine Advisory Program: Marine Conservation: 

http://www.uaf.edu/MAP/conservation 

37 Star Flag at: 

http://www.z6.com/z6files/z6files/fotw/flags/us-1867.html

Bering, Chirikov, and Gvozdev (Bering Expeditions map): 

http://frontiers.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfak/mpbering.html 

1. Explorers' routes drawn from Monopolists and Freebooters, by O.H.K. Spate, Minneapolis, 1983. 

2. Map information drawn from MapArt Geopolitical Deluxe CD-ROM by Cartesia Software (Copyright 1998). Map information was 

modified for illustration purposes. 

(Alaska state comparison to U.S.) 

Multimakers (1999). Alaska’s Best Homepage, Alaskan Fun Facts. Retrieved from the 

Web on July 13, 2004 at: http://www.alaskasbest.com/facts.htm

Alaska’s people Map from: 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/greatland/ax/primary_fs.html (Alaska the Great 

Land: National Geographic Traveler and Royal Caribbean International, National 

Geographic Society (1999). 

Beringia map 

Beringian Heritage International Park Program, National Park Service: 

http://www.nps.gov/akso/beringia/whatisberingia2.htm

Retrieved July 14, 2004. 

Vitus Bering exploration map 

North Pacific Ocean .gov: 

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/np/pages/vbering.html

The Russian Colonization of Alaska 

Picture of Shelikhov: 

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/intldl/mtfhtml/mfak/mfakrcol.html

Russian-American flag 

Russian American Company Flag at: 

http://www.mcn.org/1/rrparks/fortross/Curriculum/flag.htm