the mayor of the city of Sitka’s Gary Paxton said he will leave at the monument to the first Main Governor of Russian settlements in North America, Alexander Baranov, although earlier, the Russian side offered to buy it. It is reported on 16 July RIA Novosti.
Informed for the demolition was made by some of the inhabitants of Sitka (until 1867 – Archangel, capital of Russian America). Among the supporters of the dismantling of the monument mainly Tlingit, the local Indians, who clashed with the Russians because of the competition in hunting sea otters in the days of Russian America.
At the beginning of this week, the city Council of Sitka decided to move the monument Baranov from the city centre in the local Museum, although the willingness to buy the monument was made by the Arkhangelsk, Irkutsk, Magadan. In addition, the Coordination Council of Russian compatriots of the USA (XORS) has launched an online petition against the demolition of monuments, which brought together about six thousand signatures. To redeem monument Baranov has proposed and the Fund for Art Russe, dedicated to the popularization of Russian art.
a Bronze statue of Alexander Baranov, who ruled the Russian settlements in North America in the years 1790-1818, was installed in 1980-ies Hamami – one of the oldest families of Sitka in gratitude to the role Baranova in the development of trade in the city.
