The History of
Kodiak Island Borough

Kodiak Island is located on the eastern side of the Gulf of Alaska. It lies 252 air miles south of Anchorage, a 55 minute flight, and is a 3 hour flight from Seattle. It lies at approximately 57° 47' N Latitude, 152° 24' W Longitude . The community is located in the Kodiak Recording District. The area encompasses 6,463 sq. miles of land and 5,383 sq. miles of water.

Kodiak Island has been inhabited since 8,000 B.C. and was settled by Russian fur trappers in 1792. Sea otter pelts were the primary incentive for Russian exploration at that time. Kodiak was the first capital of Russian Alaska, which moved to Sitka when Alaska was purchased by the U.S. in 1867. Since the Aleutian Campaign of World War II, several branches of the military have maintained a presence in Kodiak. The 1960s brought growth in commercial fisheries and fish processing. The Borough was incorporated in 1963.

To Community Histories Index Alaska DCCED Community Database Online

History and map graphic used with permission from the Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development