The History of Larsen Bay

Larsen Bay is located on Larsen Bay, on the northwest coast of Kodiak Island. It is 60 miles southwest of the City of Kodiak and 283 miles southwest of Anchorage. It lies at approximately 57° 32' N Latitude, 153° 58' W Longitude (Sec. 32, T030S, R029W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the Kodiak Recording District. The area encompasses 5 sq. miles of land and 2 sq. miles of water.

The area is thought to have been inhabited for at least 2,000 years. Hundreds of artifacts have been uncovered in the area. Russian fur traders frequented the Island in the mid-1700s. The bay was named for Peter Larsen, an Unga Island furrier, hunter and guide. In the early 1800s, there was a tannery in Uyak Bay. The present-day Natives are Alutiiq (Russian-Aleuts). Alaska Packers Association built a cannery in the village in 1911.

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