Unalaska overlooks Iliuliuk Bay and Dutch
Harbor on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Chain. It lies 800 air miles
from Anchorage, a two- to three-hour flight, and 1,700 miles northwest
of Seattle. The name Dutch Harbor is often applied to the portion of the
City on Amaknak Island, which is connected to Unalaska Island by bridge.
Dutch Harbor is actually within the boundaries of the City of Unalaska.
It lies at approximately 53░ 52' N Latitude, 166░ 32' W Longitude (Sec.
11, T073S, R118W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the
Aleutian Islands Recording District. The area encompasses 116 sq. miles
of land and 99 sq. miles of water.
than 3,000 Unangas (known since the Russian era as "Aleuts") lived in 24
settlements on Unalaska and Amaknak Islands in 1759. Unalaska became a
Russian trading port for the fur seal industry in 1768. In 1787, many
hunters and their families were enslaved and relocated by the Russian
American Company to the Pribilof Islands to work in the fur seal
harvest. In 1825, the Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Ascension of
Christ was constructed. The founding priest, Ivan Veniaminov, composed
the first Aleut writing system with local assistance, and translated
scripture into Aleut. Since Aleuts were not forced to give up their
language or culture by the Russian Orthodox priests, the Church remained
strong in the community. By this time, however, between 1830 and 1840,
only 200 to 400 Aleuts lived in Unalaska. In 1880, the Methodist Church
opened a school, clinic and the Jesse Lee Home for orphans. During World
War II, on June 3, 1942, Unalaska was attacked by the Japanese. Almost
all of the Aleuts on the Island were interned to Southeast Alaska for
the duration of the War. The Russian Orthodox Church was nearly
destroyed by evacuating U.S. Army troops. The Church is the oldest
Russian Orthodox cruciform-style church in North America, and is
currently undergoing restoration.