Sitka in Sitka Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)
Russian Mission Orphanage
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 1, 2021
1. Russian Mission Orphanage Marker
Registered National
Historic Landmark
under the provisions of the
Historic Sites Act of August 21, 1935
This site possesses exceptional value
in commemorating and illustrating
the history of the United States
U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Erected 1964.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Churches & Religion • Education. In addition, it is included in the National Historic Landmarks series list.
Location. 57° 3.075′ N, 135° 19.869′ W. Marker is in Sitka, Alaska, in Sitka Borough. Marker is at the intersection of Lincoln Street and Monastery Street, on the right when traveling west on Lincoln Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 501 Lincoln St, Sitka AK 99835, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Finding Common Ground (a few steps from this marker); Hanlon-Osbakken House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Priest's House (within shouting distance of this marker); Russian Bishop's House (within shouting distance of this marker); Emmons House
this page online
Regarding Russian Mission Orphanage. Excerpt from the site's National Register of Historic Places inventory-nomination form, submitted as Russian Bishop's House in 1983:
…The Russian Bishop's House site at Sitka was a cultural and educational center in Alaska from the 1840's to the mid-twentieth century. The Russian Bishop's House was the residence of Ivan Veniaminov, the great Russian religious leader and first Bishop of Alaska, and the administrative center for his and other Orthodox missionary efforts among the peoples native to Alaska. The great religious and moral influence exerted from this missionary center can be observed by the large numbers of Orthodox communicants living in the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands, and other Alaskan coastal
communities. In addition to the historical significance associated with the site, the Russian Bishop's House is significant architecturally because ofthe high quality and unique construction characteristics of Russian vernacular design, such as the intricate joinery methods.…via NPS, unknown2. Russian Bishop's HouseNational Register of Historic Places Digital Archive on NPGallery wensite entry
Click for more information.
Also see . . . The Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska: Historic Ecclesiastical Landscapes Study (PDF). A 2017 study by the University of Arizona's College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture into "how the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska [based in Sitka] functioned in its relationships with the church hierarchy in Russia and its parishes and missions in Alaska during the Russian colonial period and the transitional American period." Note: Report is 516 pages long, but contains numerous photographs and details of the Bishop's House and Russian Orthodox rites and traditions. (Submitted on September 11, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 1, 2021
3. Russian Mission Orphanage Marker
Marker is on the fence, to the right of the photograph.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 3, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 11, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 182 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 11, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on January 3, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3. submitted on September 11, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
