"Unalaska was Home for 17 Years " a Dutch Harbor Travel Page by RickinDutch

We came to Unalaska on a 3 year plan - 17 years ago. I would be happy to answer any of your questions about this magical place. Our island town is an interesting mix of both a busy commercial fishing port and yet surrounded by stunning scenery and wildlife. We are 800 miles SW of Anchorage and can be reached by either Alaska Airlines or the bi weekly ferry run from Homer April thru October. Last census showed we had 4500 full time residents, but this swells to around 9,000 during our busy fishing seasons. About the only quiet time we have any more is from the middle of November until January 1st.

We get called "Dutch Harbor" by many, which is similar to calling Seattle "Elliott Bay". Even the airlines book only to Dutch Harbor.
As I explore VT, I see that almost everyone has put their tips about Unalaska over at the Dutch Harbor site. I put my tips on my Unalaska page for years but realized people looking for info come here to Dutch Harbor.

So here's my town. I'm fascinated by VT and spend more time on here than I should, so I'll keep things pretty updated. Sports fishers, birders, whale watchers, WWII buffs (and vets), archaeologists, blue water kayakers all make their way out here to sample something that is hard to see anywhere else. I ran the CVB for about 2 years but have returned to the for-profit sector. Raising our grandson made the business travel too hard on the family.

Archaeological digs are showing that Unalaska may be the oldest continually inhabited place in North America - at least 9,500 years. Even prior to western contact (Russian fur trappers in 1750's) it was a center of trade and culture for the Aleutians. The big growth has come from World War II when over 40,000 soldiers and sailors were stationed here and then in the 1980's when the fisheries were Americanized. We have seen a huge amount of change in the years we have lived here.

In Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, commerical fishing accounts for about 90% of the economy and the town ranks as the largest fishing port in North American - for the past 13 years. Centrally located between the Bering Sea and the North Pacific, most fish caught in Alaska comes through our town.

Here is an APL ship loading containers of frozen product bound for Asia. It was on an APL ship that Alex Haily would ride while writing his book "Roots".

The most recognizable symbol of Unalaska, this church was built in 1890's and a church has been on this site since the 1820's. She recently underwent major renovations to repair damage from a 130 years of Aleutian weather. Only 15 of her 120 priceless icons have been painstakingly restored, and the rest are being done one by one. Each icon takes 4-6 months to restore at a cost of $20K each. The Bishop's house is in dire need of work as well.
Said to be the largest cruciform church and the oldest Russian Orthodox Church in North America.
Was home to Father Ivan Venimenov from 1820 to 1832, who went on to become Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church and was canonized as St. Innocent.