750. Sitka Bell
A short stop on the way up Castle Hill in historic Sitka, AK

When visiting Sitka, many people like to climb up the small promontory called Castle Hill, located on the north side of town just before the bridge to the airport, to see where battles were fought between Russians and native tribes in the early part of the 19th century and where the American flag was first flown after Russia sold Alaska to the United States in 1867. One might also like to catch a view of the onion-shaped dome of St. Michael’s Cathedral from up there and check to see if a bald eagle is still perching atop the the Orthodox cross, as it was when we visited. And since bells were historically such an important part of Russian Orthodox culture, we thought we’d add a little “travelin’ light” bell along the paved walkway going up the hill as well.

So, to find this little bell glued on the back of a small bell-shaped stone, just stop and sit on the first bench at the first hairpin turn of the paved walkway very soon as you start up the hill. Look left just beyond the railing to see a 3-foot long, 1-foot high flat rock with a 6-inch long, 2-inch high flat stone blocking a crevice under the lower right side of the larger rock. Gently reach behind this smaller trapdoor stone when no one else is around to reveal the 2-inch sideways-placed, light-colored bell stone with pink stuff on back. Please make sure that no pink is showing when you carefully replace the bell behind its trap door to help keep it “ringing” hopefully for other letterboxers to come!

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