Feature Page
Alaska Pat/ Festival
In order to make a contribution to the kick-off meet
ing of the Alaska Day Committee we are offering this
page for our readers. The Alaska Day Festival is the
highlight ol the activities of any year in Our town. We
invite all organizations to take part and offer their help.
Meeting date again Sunday, April 20 at 7:30 pm City
Council Chambers.
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For the benefit of the many new-comers to this, Our
Town who may have no idea what Sitka looked like in
the historic past we are including a few pictures on our
Feature Page to show you a few of the interesting spots
as they appeared in the long ago. From time to time we
will show others of the same type and period. We hope
you will enjoy them.
View showing early Sitka. The Western harbor and Community Houses
elearh shown. The Cathedral is also visable.
are
Tin* old Russian Trading
Post on Lincoln street, about
on the present site of the
Sitka Hotel.
A view of
interior of
Castle.
the
old
impressive
Baranof
m.^MK9k
Castle Hill and buildings
at ils base as it looked be
fore the fire that destroyed
the Baranof castle.
Alaska Day
Committee
Story of Hard Work
Certainly a part of the pro
gress of Sitka is an organiza
tion which officially came in
to being in 1950. Known as
the Alaska Day Committee,
it has devoted its efforts to
ward a two-fold purpose:
To prepet uate the observ
ance of the transfer of Alaska
from Imperial Russia to the
United States which took
place on Castel Hill, Oct.
18, 1867 and to make this
observance an annual affair.
The second objective of the
committee is to prepare for
the Centennial of this event.
First Year Slow Work
During the years 1950 to
1956 the1 progress of the com
mittee was very slow. This
was largely due to the small
ness of the committee and
the largeness of the task be
fore them. However, the com
mittee worked hard and
faithfully and each year the
Vlaska Day celebration grew
a little larger and attracted
more attention.
9Th Infantry Invited
In 1956 tlie Committee in
vited the famed 9th Infantry
to send a Color Guard to
“change the colors'”, The 9th
had participated in the or
iginal change over ceremon
ies in 1867 and the Alaska
Day Committee thought it
fitting that the Regiment
should become a focal part
of the festivities.
i ne appearance or tne
Color Guard from the 9th In
fantry in 1956 seemed to
mark a change in the tide,
as it were, for things began
to happen quickly. Sudden
ly there was increased inter
rest in the Festival, both lo
cally and through the Ter
ritory.
In 1957 the 9th sent a
Color Guard again and the
Governor of the Territory
took part in the commemora
tive event. In 1957 also the
Secretary of the Navy fin
ally sent the Navy Frigate
U. S. S. Wilkinson to Sitka
for the Festival. The Navy
had participated in 1867 and
repeated requests to have
the Navy take part in the
Festival had fallen on deaf
ears.
Flag And Pole Given
Now we see the dedi
cation of a plaque eommemo
rating the part played by the
9th Regiment in the transfer
of Alaska from Russia to the
United States as well as a
gift of a forty foot flag pole
from the Regiment, The
Alaska Lumber and Pulp
Company of Sitka gene
rously gave the materials and
labor to construct the qlat
form and pedistal for both
plaque and pole. The gift
from the Pulp Company is
estimated to be in excess of
$1,500. Design for the plat
form which is 6 x 12 feet was
by Fred Sloan. The platform
is crowned by a five pointed
star representing the 49th
Star which Alaska hopes to
be in the American flag. The
star rises six inches above
the floor of the platform. The
whole installation standing
on the south side of Castle
Hill and commanding a
breath-taking view of the
Pacific, has an air of per
manence. The fact that it
goes down eight feet to bed
rock is symbolic of the de
sire of the Alaska Day Com
mittee to build for perman
ence to make of Castle
Hill an historic landmark
that will lie in the future, a
place of pilgrimage for all
Alaskans and Alaska visitors
for here, truly does our story
of Alaska begin.
1958 Plans
1 he Alaska Day Corn
mittee has plans now under
way for October 18, 1958.
The 9th regiment intends to
send not only a Color Guard,
but a military band as well.
The Frigate Wilkinson, at
the request of its officer?,
will be invited to attend
again. Other “firsts” are in
the works also. Perhaps it is
not too much to hope for
that the Territorial Govern
ment may see fit to make of
Castle Hill the beautiful spot
it should be so that by the
time of the Centenary Cele
bration we can truly Ik*
proud of the site where the
Star Spangled Banner first
flew over Alaskan soil.
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COMING SOON!!
MIDWAY SWEDISH STEAM BATHS
Massage Single or Course Reducing
Treatments
Mill Creek Road Half Way to Pulp Mill
watch the Banner for developments