After the U.S. purchased Alaska in 1867, Kodiak's economy shifted abruptly
from the fur trade and whaling. Salmon became the economic staple and
canneries dotted the islands by the 1890s.
Darkness fell for three days when Mount
Novarupta on the Alaska Peninsula spewed six cubic miles of earth
into the air on June 6, 1912. A dense ash cloud descended on the
islands. Nearly two feet of ash engulfed the tiny settlement of
Kodiak. Buildings collapsed and lakes and streams were choked with
ash. Although the face of Kodiak was changed forever, cleanup and
rebuilding began in earnest. Fish and wildlife populations rebounded
slowly. A cross-section of Kodiak soil reveals traces of other spectacular
eruptions.
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