Petersburg
Culture and Heritage
Petersburg was built by generations of Norwegian fishing families. Before the Europeans arrived, the area was used as a summer fishing camp by the Kake Tlingit people for an estimated 2,000 years. The Sons of Norway Hall, built in 1912 and a National Historic Site since 1984, is still a center of town activity today. In the summer months, Norwegian dancers perform while visitors enjoy a wonderful buffet complete with Norwegian pastries, pickled herring and fish cakes. Next door to the hall is the Bojer Wikan Fishermen’s Memorial Park, a commemorative memorial for those who lost their lives at sea. The center of the park contains a nine-foot-tall bronze sculpture of local fisherman Bojer Wikan, who, along with his crew members, were all lost at sea. The Clausen Memorial Museum is the best place to learn more about Petersburg’s colorful history.
