Northern Lights: Lighthouse Development in the Alaskan Territory
The first lighted aid to navigation in Alaska appears to have been established in 1805 by the Russians on a small island in Sitka Harbor (see Dee Longenbaugh's story in this issue). In later years (1830's) a light was placed in the cupola of their governor's mansion (Baranofs Castle) in Sitka. It was a crude optic consisting of four copper cans with solid wicks, fueled by whale or seal oil. The large reflector was placed behind the burning wicks.