Wrangell began as a Russian stockade called Redoubt St. Dionysius in 1834. Then under British rule the stockade was called Fort Stikine after the Stikine River. The Fort remained under British rule until Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867. In 1868 the Americans established a military post here and named it Fort Wrangell after the island it was located on. It derived it's name from Baron von Wrangel, a governor of the Russian-American Co. It's location on the mouth of the Stikine River made it an important supply point for fur traders and gold seekers. During the Klondike gold rush of 1898 the difficult route up the Stikine was bypassed for the shorter Chilkoot trail near Skagway. Today the Stikine River Area is a popular recreation and hunting area.
