Admiral Wrangel

The best-known naval governor was Ferdinand von Wrangel, who served from 1830 to 1835. When he took charge at Sitka, Wrangell tightened the administration of Russian-American Company affairs in Alaska. He recognized Father Veniaminov, then at Unalaska, as an especially effective priest and asked for his transfer to Sitka. Wrangell expanded ship-building at Sitka under the creole Osip Netsvetov, who had learned the art at Saint Petersburg. He had the Pacific coast's first sawmill erected at Sitka in 1833. 

Wrangell was very interested in exploration, and during his administration, much new information about Alaska's geography was collected. Fort Saint Michael in the north and Fort Saint Dionysius in the south were established. Schools and hospitals were also improved during Wrangell's time as governor.

Mrs. Wrangell also influenced events in Alaska. Her moral influence caused many informal alliances to become marriages. Her guidance gave new energy to the social activities that made life more tolerable for the Russians in their isolated colonial outpost. Her work with the sick earned her the respect and admiration of all Sitkans, including Tlingit chiefs Annahootz, Hootz, and Naushketl, who praised her efforts.