Our History
March 24, 1989, changed the Chugach Region forever. When the Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into the Prince William Sound, the seven villages that comprise the Chugach Region saw their Alaska dream disrupted. Residents in those communities went to bed surrounded by abundance, and by morning, devastation. Communities lost their primary economic source, access to subsistence foods and way of life, and direct connection to thousands of years of cultural practice. Decades later, communities are still dealing with residual impacts. One urgent issue relates to the preservation of the Region’s history.
Traditional burial sites throughout Prince William Sound were disturbed during the clean-up process, exposing funerary regalia and cultural items. Those items currently sit in boxes inside an Anchorage warehouse. With support from the impacted communities, Chugach Alaska Corporation, Chugach Heritage Foundation, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council and others, the newly formed Chugach Museum provides a safe and culturally appropriate space to view, study and preserve items from the Region. The new facility will contain exhibit space, regional repository, research lab, gift shop, and gathering areas. While the facility itself will be a source of Regional pride, it’s what will happen inside that we are most excited about. Chugach Museum will offer rich programming that provides new opportunities to learn about our history and experience our culture. Elder-youth mentorship programs.
