Seward Alaska "A History of the Gateway City"by Mary J Barry
 The Book Cover, book is large format 81/2 inches by 11 inches, 182 pages full of old historical photos.Plus the written history of Seward, Alaska.Use these links to see pages: |
 The First Years |
 Fouth Avenue |
 The Loop Alaska Central RR |
 The Churchs of Seward |
 Navy Marching 4th of July |
 Brown and Hawkins |
 The Lowells Family |
 The Native of Alaska |
| Return to sewardnet.com |
On August 28, 1903, a hardy, enthusiastic band of railroad promoters and construction personnel, businessmen, and families arrived at Resurrection Bay on the small steamboat, Santa Ana. They set to work felling trees, erecting buildings, and laying a railroad. This landing date is remembered as Seward's Founders' Day
The background and activities of many of Seward's pioneers; the ups and downs (physically and financially) of the AlaskaCenteral and Alaska Northern Railroads; the every-day happenings of a turn-of-the-century Alaskan town with its triumphs and trails, its industries and entertainment, its incidents serious and humorous; Seward's role in establishing the Seward- Iditarod-Nome Trail. a legendary dog team route: These are some elements from the past that helped to build a permanent city out of a wilderness.
Seward, Alaska "A History of the Gateway City" Volume 1 can be purchase for $25 dollars US plus $6.95 for handling and shipping. Send all inquires to Mary J Barry 323 West harvard Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99501. To purchase a copy of this book remit $31.95 check or money order along with your name and address to MJ Barry 323 West harvard Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99501. Allow four to six weeks for delievery.
The first Alaskan people of the Kenai Peninsula and Seward area: The
Seward Natives were the Chugach people of the Kenai Peninsula. According
to their own tradition, originated somewhere north of Kodiak Island, and
traveled here by kayak's. They are classified as Eskimos by anthropologists.
Although many Chugachs say they are Aleut people.Eskimos, Aleuts and Indians
traded in Prince Willian Sound. Many villages were abandoned during the
Russian period. As the Native peoples moved closer to Russian settlements,
and hunted for the Russians. The Russians used the Aleutian Islanders as
hunters for the fur trade. The
pelts of sea otters were greatly treasured at the Courts of Russia
and Europe. So the Aleutian Hunters were used for their great sea going
skills and hunting skills, to hunt sea otters and other fur bearing animals
for the Russian American Company.
Epidemics of smallpox and other diseases, of which the Alaskan Natives
had no resistance to, killed a large part of the Native populations, during
this time, of the coming of the Russians to Alaska. After the U.S. purchased
Alaska. Many native people moved to settlements near fish canneries and
coal mines. As there was work at these settlements and the Native could
also trade here. Reports from this time state as to the wonderful carving
skills of the natives of the area. The Census of 1890 show a Chugach settlement
at Aialik Bay near Seward. There was also the village of Yaliq which was
also near Seward.
Seafood was the staple for the Native people of the Seward area. They
were good hunters and fishermen and hunted, whales, sea lions, sea otters,
and other seals of the area. They were skilled in the use of the kayaks
and used them for hunting and trading trips.They used the skins of the
sea creatures they hunted for their kayak skin covering. The Chugach mane
for themselves is Chugachigmiut.