Welcome to Old Harbor
The Alutiiq commercial fishing village of Old Harbor has 220 residents. It is on the southeast side of the island, a 40 minute flight by a local air taxi. While flying to Old Harbor, you can catch a tour of the tallest mountain on Kodiak Island, Koniag Peak, or the one and only glacier on the island nearby.
Old Harbor has beautiful dramatic mountains seemingly appearing to be dipping into the ocean. There are no spruce trees, but the mountains are abundant in alders, shrubs, wild berry bushes, and wildflowers. The remote Alutiiq village is nestled on a narrow strip of beach bordering the Sitkalidak straits.
Locals are known for their hospitality, generosity, wonderful 4th of July celebrations, and their dedication to the Alutiiq culture. Old Harbor has an Alutiiq dance group, the Nuniaq Alutiiq Dancers, that travel to share their culture among perform for their community. The Alutiiq language, arts and crafts, subsistence living, and cultural skills are taught in schools and homes. Old Harbor is also home to worldwide known Alutiiq artists.
Old Harbor promotes ecotourism. A unique opportunity is visiting the largest puffin colony by charter boat, located nearby on Flat Island, watching the whales pass through the Sikalidak Straits, and catching sight of sea otters playing. Many birds migrate from thousands of miles in the spring to nest in the rocky hidden rooks surrounding the area. Sports fishermen can fish for salmon, cod, herring and halibut. The winning catch from the annual King salmon derby are usually caught near Old Harbor.
The 1964 earthquake and tsunami badly damaged the community. Only the Three Saints Russian Orthodox Church survived, and is a striking centerpiece of the community today. Since everything else was destroyed in the village and washed away by the tides of the tsunami, it was considered a miracle to be virtually untouched.
Resources: Old Harbor Native Corporation website, Alaska's Konyag Country, Alaska Department of Fish and Game website, Picture of Old Harbor featured on the top page was taken by Rachel Kane, The Village of Old Harbor with the beautiful mountain backdrop e.g. Image courtesy of the Alutiiq Museum.
Traveling to the villages
Click to view a map showing where Old Harbor is on Kodiak Island