The first ship to be built in what is now Alaska, as well as the Pacific coast of North America, the Phoenix. A three-masted frigate was constructed by British Naval officer James Shields. Shields, one of the most experienced captains and shipbuilders working in Russian America, built the ship for the Shelikhov-Golikov Company, under orders from […]
After exploring the Pacific, Captain George Vancouver turned north into the Pacific Northwest in 1793 before setting south to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) to winter there before setting sail to Cook Inlet in search of the Northwest Passage. After Cook Inlet, Vancouver set south along the coastline, drawing detailed charts along the way through 1794. […]
