Discover the diverse and rich history of Sitka and Alaska at this educational destination. From the meager beginnings as a log cabin to the renovations and updates of the Russians in the 1800s, the Sitka Pioneer Home is an homage to the one of a kind blending of cultures only Alaska boasts. Originally a barracks for U.S. Marines in the late 1800s, buildings and additions were added as the base expanded. However, the building was abandoned in 1912—right when pioneers, families and prospectors were in desperate need for shelter.

That same year, Alaska was welcomed as a territory and a bill earmarked $10,000 to create the Alaska Pioneer Home in Sitka. The barracks were repurposed and “indigent men” were allowed to stay. Soon enough, a concrete building was constructed on site, allowing the home to house 170 men, but no women. In 1949, funds for a women’s home were established in a former church adjacent to the Pioneer Home.

Pioneering Beginnings

Women and married couples were ushered into the expanded compound, and renovations have continued throughout the decades. Today, it continues to serve women and men at a variety of levels including independent care, basic assistance and 24-hour care for dementia patients.

However, it also serves as an architectural interest and reminder of the roots of Sitka. Visitors are welcome in some areas, and photographers are often intrigued by the makeup of the buildings and landscapes.

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