Hawaii and California

The need for food supplies led Russians to create outposts outside of Alaska in California and Hawaii. In 1812, the Russians established Fort Ross in California, a few miles north of the Spanish settlement of San Francisco. They planned to have workers at this fort grow food to supply the Russian settlements in Alaska. Fort Ross could also serve as a base for sea otter hunts. By this time, overhunting in Alaskan waters had depleted the sea otter populations there, and the Russians were now hunting as far south as California. The Russian settlement at Ft. Ross would continue until 1841.

In another attempt to satisfy the colony's food needs, Russia started regular trade with Hawaii in 1804. Pork, sweet potatoes, and salt were traded for furs. In 1816, Russians even opened trading and farming posts on the islands of Oahu and Kauai. However, these posts were short-lived. Within a few years, the Hawaiian civil war and local antagonism to the Russians led to their closure.

Next Page