Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel - Ninilchik, Alaska - Orthodox Churches on Waymarking.com

"Holy Transfiguration of our Lord chapel, regardless of the direction from which one approaches, looms on the skyline as the symbol of Ninilchik's past. As such, it reflects the religious, educational and social traditions of the inhabitants and an institution that has molded those traditions.

Historical Background

At least one of six Creole and Russian pensioners' settlements established by the Russian American Company on the Kenai Peninsula in mid-nineteenth century, Ninilchik today retains strong impressions of Russian culture.

The founding of the village presents an interesting aspect of Russian American Company administrative policy. According to law, Company employees were not authorized to reside permanently in Alaska. In 1835, this policy was reversed due to requests of promyshlenniki (fur hunters)* many of whom had married Native women and produced offspring (Creoles). By the "Supreme Command" of 1835, former employees, their families, and Creoles-: could -remain in Alaska and establish special settlements. The Company was obligated to "select and donate a site, build a comfortable dwelling, furnish agricultural

With the sale of Alaska, many Creoles remained in Ninilchik. Ivan Petrov, U.S. Census officer, noted in the early 1880's that the Ninilchik population was composed of only fifty-three Creoles. He also observed "Each family has quite a large garden patch of turnips and potatoes, yielding enough to allow the owners to dispose of a large surplus to traders and fishermen. They have quite a herd of cattle....The young men of the settlement go out to hunt the sea-otter at Anchor Point, or even lower down the coast." (Petrov, 1884: 27) By 1890, some sixteen Indians as well as a few whites had joined the Creole population; but the community's cultural essence remained rooted in its Russian heritage with Russian remaining the first language of the population and education and social fabric conforming to the standards of the Orthodox Church.

Alexi Andreev Oskolkoff was the chief architect. He was born at Fort Ross, California, in 1844, lived in Sitka, and was sent from there to Ninilchik to oversee construction of the church in 1901. The church replaced another structure, built below the present church site in the middle of Ninilchik village, reportedly shortly after 1846 when Ninilchik was founded.

Fr. Bortlovsky from Kenai came to Ninilchik to dedicate the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel in 1901.

Since then, the Russian atmosphere of Ninilchik has been retained, reinforced principally by the always present church, although the community has been served by visiting priests from Kenai and other nearby settlements." - National Register nomination form

Type of Orthodox Church: Eastern Type of Building: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of organization: 01/01/1846 Date of building construction: 01/01/1901 Diocese: Orthodox Church in America Diocese of Alaska Address: Church Street Ninilchik , Alaska United States 99639 Relevant Website: [Web Link] Associated Icons, Reliefs, art, etc.: Not listed Archdiocese: Not listed

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