National Register of Historic Places

Fort St. Michael

St. Michael, Nome County, Alaska
Listed
November 10, 1977
Type
Building
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
77000221

About this property

Fort St. Michael was an installation of the United States Army at St. Michael, Alaska, on St. Michael Island in Norton Bay on the central west coast of Alaska. The fort was in active service between 1897 and 1925, and was originally established to maintain order during the Klondike Gold Rush for which St. Michael was a major transshipment point for people and goods moving up the Yukon River, whose mouth is nearby but is inaccessible to ocean-going ships. The installation later became the endpoint of the WAMCATS cable, a military communications cable extending across Alaska. Its importance declined substantially after the Alaska Railroad was completed in 1923, providing year-round service to the interior which was superior to the seasonal transport service of the river. The post was closed in 1925, and the military burials of its graveyard relocated to Sitka National Cemetery in 1929. When surveyed in 1976, only three buildings remained of the once extensive installation. The surviving elements of the fort were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Location

St. Michael, Nome County, Alaska
63.47748, -162.03940

Categories

MILITARY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Finds & Access
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Questions about this property

When was Fort St. Michael listed on the National Register?

Fort St. Michael was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 10, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Fort St. Michael?

Fort St. Michael is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Fort St. Michael?

The period of significance for Fort St. Michael is recorded as the early_republic era.

Can I research the history near Fort St. Michael?

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