Kodiak Island, Alaska’s “Emerald Isle,” is a land of rugged beauty and deep history. Within this expansive archipelago lies Camp Island, a distinct island in the middle of Karluk Lake on Kodiak’s southwest side.
This specific island, not other general “camps” on Kodiak, holds a unique historical narrative, from ancient indigenous life to modern conservation efforts.
A Place of Ancient Roots: Alutiiq Heritage on Karluk Lake
The Karluk Lake region, including Camp Island, has been continuously inhabited by the Alutiiq (Sugpiaq) people for over 6,000 to 7,500 years, making it a highly productive salmon system.
Hundreds of ancestral sites, over 46 in the Karluk area, are considered an “Alutiiq library” of their past. Early nomadic life evolved into sod dwellings, with a few large and small multi-room structures.
Archaeological finds include substantial salmon processing settlements from 300 years ago and 3,000-year-old sod homes.
The Alutiiq’s traditional knowledge and ancient stone fish weirs demonstrate their enduring connection to Karluk Lake, embodying the philosophy, “This is the land that we belong to, not the land that belongs to us“.
Camp Island & Karluk Lake: A Historical Snapshot
Year/Period | Event/Significance |
7,500+ Yrs | Alutiiq/Sugpiaq habitation of Karluk Lake area begins; nomadic tent living, early camps |
~4,000 Yrs | Focus on fishing intensifies, development of nets, larger settlements |
~800 Yrs | Population peak, large multi-room sod houses (ciqlluat), intensified salmon fishing |
1786 | Russians establish trading post/salmon saltery at Karluk |
1882 | First salmon cannery on Kodiak Island built at Karluk Spit |
1889 | Biologists begin using Camp Island as a base camp for fisheries studies |
1927 | U.S. Bureau of Fisheries (USBF) builds first cabin on Camp Island |
1930s | Karluk canneries close due to overfishing |
1941 | Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge established, encompassing Karluk Lake |
Present Day | Camp Island hosts Kodiak Brown Bear Center & Lodge, owned by Alutiiq people, focusing on conservation and bear viewing |
A Place of Ancient Roots: Alutiiq Heritage on Karluk Lake
The name “Camp Island” (also “Thumb Island”) originated from its use as a scientific base.
From 1889, biologists like William Morton and Allan DeLacy used this central Karluk Lake island for fisheries studies, valuing its location and protection from bears. The U.S. Bureau of Fisheries built the first cabin in 1927, supporting researchers who collected diverse biological specimens through the 1950s.
This established Camp Island as a key site for understanding Karluk Lake’s globally renowned sockeye salmon runs, marking a shift towards scientific resource management.
A Modern Sanctuary: The Kodiak Brown Bear Center
Today, Camp Island is home to the Kodiak Brown Bear Center & Lodge (KBBC), owned by Koniag, the Alaska Native Regional Corporation representing the Alutiiq people. This ownership reflects the Alutiiq value of Nunapet (“ties to our homeland“) and their deep connection to the land.
The KBBC offers world-class bear viewing, fishing, and hiking within the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, which has one of the highest concentrations of Kodiak brown bears globally.
The center emphasizes minimal impact through small groups and sustainable power (wind, solar), aligning with the refuge’s 1941 mission to protect bears and their habitat.
Beyond the Island: Karluk Lake's Broader Historical Tapestry
Camp Island’s history is part of Karluk Lake’s broader narrative.
Russian hunters established a trading post at Karluk in 1786. Post-1867, commercial salmon canning boomed, with Karluk hosting Kodiak’s first cannery in 1882, though overfishing led to closures by the late 1930s. Kodiak Island also served as Russian America’s first capital (1792-1804) and faced natural disasters like the 1912 Novarupta eruption and the 1964 earthquake.
Importantly, while Kodiak Island was a strategic WWII military site, records show no specific military presence on “Camp Island” in Karluk Lake itself.
Camp Island's Enduring Legacy
Camp Island, in Karluk Lake, Kodiak, embodies a remarkable journey.
From millennia as an Alutiiq resource hub, sustained by salmon, it transitioned into a vital scientific base. Today, under Alutiiq ownership at the Kodiak Brown Bear Center, it’s a conservation-focused sanctuary for bear viewing and sustainable tourism.
This trajectory highlights the enduring connection between people, place, and the Alaskan wilderness.
Content Author & Alaska Photographer
I run photography workshops at KBBC and craft standout content for blogs and websites across Alaska and beyond. Alaska has a rhythm like nowhere else—its wild spaces, deep solitude, and endless light draw me back again and again, especially to Kodiak Island.
Dan used these sources of information to make this article:
https://koc.alaska.edu/about/community/
https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kodiak/kodiakindex.htm
https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/KARLUK/KARLUKAPP1.pdf
https://alaskahistoricalsociety.org/tag/karluk/
https://www.travelalaska.com/destinations/parks-public-lands/kodiak-national-wildlife-refuge
https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/KARLUK/KARLUKAPP3.pdf