Native History

Prince William Sound was occupied by two ethnic groups at the time of European contact. The Chugach inhabited the coastal area of Prince William Sound and the Eyak occupied the Copper River delta and west to today’s Cordova. These two groups were hunter-gatherers and each had distinct subsistence practices and cultural histories. Interaction between them and a third group the Ahtna who occupied the Copper River valley existed in the pre-contact period.

Before European contact, each group used oral tradition to pass their traditions and cultural values from generation to generation. Early European and American visitors were interested primarily in trade and resource extraction, not local culture and history. 20th century professional ethnographers found aboriginal cultures had undergone significant change due to interaction with explorers, traders, and prospectors.

Eyak History

Chugach History