Historic
Preservation
NOAA is involved in a number of Projects to Preserve
and Protect the Nations Historic resources.
Check out NOAA's Preserve America
Webpage.
St.
George Sealing Plant:
St. George Island, Alaska
NOAA
Restores Historic Alaska Building.
In 1999, working with the local Native Corporation, NOAA completed structural
repairs and restoration of the St. George Sealing Plant building on St.
George Island, Alaska.
The United States acquired St. George Island when Alaska was purchased
from Russia in 1867. From 1867 to 1910, private companies, under contract
to the United States government, ran the harvest of Northern Fur Seals
and a pelt processing operation on St. George. Then, in 1910, the federal
government became the sole administrator and operator of the St. George
fur seal operation. This continued until 1983 when the federal government
withdrew its operations from St. George Island.
The sealing
plant was used to process sealskins and render remains, as part of the
lucrative commercial seal harvest,
which peaked from the 1940’s
through the 1960’s. This sealing plant, the last one of its kind
still in existence, was designated to the National Register of Historic
Places in 1986. By the late 1990’s, the building was disintegrating
from the combined attack of salt, water, and frosts and was in danger of
collapse and being lost forever.
In 1998, NOAA, working with federal, state, local, and tribal partners,
began restoration of the structure in order to slow its deterioration and
preserve it for future use. Most of the work was done by St. George community
and Tribal members. The project was completed in November of 1999. Possessing
the heritage of the commercial seal harvest, and as current stewards of
the Northern Fur Seal population, NOAA is proud to help preserve this historic
resource. Several options are being considered for the future use of the
Former Sealing Plant, including the development of a museum and interpretive
center.
View the St. George Seal Plant Restoration Report HERE. |
