The highlights downtown include the Fishermen's Memorial, near the harbormaster's office at the head of the St. Paul Harbor, where a soberingly long list of Kodiak fishermen who have lost their lives at sea is posted on plaques. The warship set in concrete on Mission Way is the Kodiak Star, the last World War II Liberty Ship built. It came here as a fish processor after the 1964 earthquake destroyed the canneries and is still in use. Along Shelikof Avenue, overlooking St. Paul Harbor, the Kodiak Maritime Museum has mounted 12 attractive and interesting signs explaining the differences among different kinds of fishing boats, North Pacific commercial fishing and geography, and other nautical topics. In the same area, stop in at Kodiak Island Brewing Co., 338 Shelikof St. (www.kodiakbrewery.com), where Ben Millstein brews beer that's mostly organic and offers tours. You can buy a pint to drink on-site or get some for later; local restaurants serve it, too. The "Sarah Pale" T-shirt commemorates a brew named for Alaska's former governor. Nearly next door, the B-and-B Bar is the oldest licensed tavern in Alaska and a real commercial fishermen's bar. Don't be put off by the rough appearance; it's a friendly place.
Most of Kodiak's visitor attractions are near the ferry terminal, including the two museums listed below and the two visitor centers, operated by the town and by the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. A historic church is near there, too, at Kashevarof and Mission streets: the Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church, which was founded in 1794, although the present building dates only from 1945, when the original building burned.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
