Fort St. Michael facts for kids
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Fort St. Michael
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Photo of St. Michael, 1901
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 Location in Alaska
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| Location | Vicinity of St. Michael, Alaska |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1897 |
| Built by | US Army |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000221 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 10, 1977 |
Fort St. Michael was a military base for the United States Army in Alaska. It was located on St. Michael Island near Norton Bay, on Alaska's central west coast. The fort was open from 1897 to 1925.
It was first built to help keep order during the exciting Klondike Gold Rush. St. Michael was a very important stop for people and supplies heading to the gold fields. This was because large ships could not go up the Yukon River, which was the main route inland. So, everything had to be moved from big ships to smaller boats at St. Michael.
Later, Fort St. Michael became the end point for a special military phone line called the WAMCATS cable. This cable helped soldiers communicate across Alaska. The fort's importance lessened after the Alaska Railroad was finished in 1923. The railroad offered a way to travel inland all year, which was better than the river, which could only be used part of the year.
The fort closed in 1925. The soldiers buried in its graveyard were later moved to Sitka National Cemetery in 1929. When people checked the site in 1976, only three buildings from the large fort were still standing.
The remaining parts of Fort St. Michael were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. This list helps protect important historical sites.
