Yaakwdáat Kwáan

Yaakwdáat lies beside Yakutat Bay on the Gulf of Alaska, beneath the ice and mountains of the Saint Elias range. Eyak, Ahtna and Tlingit ancestors came to this coast in different generations, forming the communities known as the Yakutat Tlingit. They fished the rivers and hunted seals in the icy waters of the bay, where families maintained seasonal camps as well as winter villages.

Russian traders began a fortified post here in 1795, seeking valuable sea otter pelts. Relations deteriorated as the newcomers interfered with local fishing and committed other abuses. In 1805 Yakutat warriors attacked and destroyed the post, ending the Russian settlement. The struggle was one of several clashes as Russian traders attempted to establish themselves along the Tlingit coast.