By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov is scheduled to be in town Wednesday, visiting some of the sites associated with Sitka’s Russian past.
The visit is non-official, Sitka Mayor Gary Paxton said.
“We received a phone call last week and of course we want to show him the town,” Paxton said. “I’m excited to meet him, see what he has to say and welcome him to Sitka.”
Sitka Municipality Administrative Coordinator Renee Wheat said the administrator’s office was contacted by the attache at the Russian Embassy in Turkmenistan, Alexey Mosin, concerning the trip.
Mosin is also the chief of protocol, press secretary, and assistant to the ambassador, his website states.
Antonov is to arrive at 9:25 a.m. Wednesday on Alaska Airlines flight 68 from Juneau.
Anatoly I. Antonov, ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States. (Photo provided)
Ernestine Massey, one of the original eight members of the New Archangel Dancers, said she would love to have the dancers be on hand to greet him or to perform for him.
“There is a show at 12:30 in the Centennial Hall auditorium – the Eurodam is in town,” Massey said. “We could have him as a guest. They charge $10 at the door and the tourists that come have prepaid… but we wouldn’t charge him. As far as I know we have not been contacted yet.”
Russian press secretary Alexander Dolitsky, who occupied the ambassador in Juneau, said they met Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer, saw gold mines, and were to see the Mendenhall Glacier.
He said the ambassador was excited to visit Sitka.
“The ambassador will visit for one day,” Dolitsky said. “He will visit mayor and all the museums that are connected to Russia. Sitka is one of only four cities in Alaska he will visit. Juneau, Sitka, Anchorage, and Fairbanks. Of course he wants to see Sitka, it was the Russian capital of Alaska. He wants to see the history there… and he wants to see how good these dancers are.”
The informal itinerary shows the ambassador traveling with a party that includes press secretary Nikolay Lakhonin, assistant and chief of protocol Mosin, and the head of the Russian bilateral trade affairs office Alexander Kim.
The party will be picked up at the airport by acting City Administrator Dave Miller and driven to City Hall for a welcome from the mayor and others.
Plans are to visit Castle Hill Historical Site and the old Russian Shipyard, accompanied by retired state archaeologist Dave McMahan.
They also will visit Old Sitka at Starrigavan Bay where the Russians first settled and in 1802 were driven out in an attack by the Tlingit.
After a box lunch, the visitors will tour Sitka National Historical Park, where Superintendent Mary Miller will welcome them. They will look at the site of the Battle of 1804 in which the Russians reclaimed the area, and view artifacts, including the Russian Possession Plaque, at the visitor center museum.
“We want to share the viewing of the plaque with (the ambassador),” Miller said. “It is an important piece of history. We want to be good hosts and show the connection of this city to Russia and Russia America.”
A visit to the Russian Bishop’s House and St. Michael’s Cathedral will be led by Archbishop David and Fr. Ishmael.
Also on the agenda will be a stop at the St. Yakov gravesite near the Blockhouse on Marine Street.
A visit to the Sitka Historical Museum will be led by Sitka Historical Society member John Stein.
“This means I have to clean out my car,” Stein laughed. “I may be hauling them around and they might wonder what all this dog hair is… I have been looking around town for some little Russian flags to put on my antenna..”
Stein said he’s looking forward to showing the museum.
“I was actually hoping he would visit there first,” he said. “It sort of lays out the community, you get a geographic sense plus the Tlingit/Russian/American occupations and so forth.”
Stein said he’s also excited for the ambassador to see the Russian Possession Plaque.
“When the Russians were exploring they would sink plaques claiming possession of lands,” he said. “Mary Miller has the original in the archives there at the Park, so that’s a big special thing. There is a replica at the city museum as well as copies of the transfer documents from the American purchase of something the Russians didn’t own. It’s a great museum. It also has the wreck of the Neva, which was a Russian ship that grounded off Kruzof Island. We have the representative bell from the Neva and such. It was mentioned he also wanted to see some of the Russian names in the cemetery....”
The ambassador is scheduled to leave Sitka on the 7:20 p.m. flight.
