Day 53 - Homer & Nikolaevsk

We decided to drive North Fork Rd out of Anchor Point to visit the Old Russian Village, Nikolaevsk. There are four Russian “Old Believer” communities that have developed on the southern Kenai Peninsula. Old Believers or followers of the Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church began leaving Russia in the early 1900s in order to practice their religion without persecution. Their journey took them into China, then South America, the Pacific Northwest, and finally five families came to the Kenai Peninsula.

The first Old Believer community on the Kenai was the one we are going to visit first, Nikolaesk. It was established in 1968 and presently has about 350 residents. Men and boys wear colourful embroidered shirts with hand woven belts while women and girls wear ankle-length dresses. Or we thought! There are also three other Old Believer communities near Homer, Voznesenka, Razdolna, and Kachemak Selo.

As we drove toward the Russian Village we saw some really strange looking houses. But we noticed that throughout all of Alaska. Some so small a dog house looked bigger. Then there was this one.

We got to the Russian Village not really sure what to expect. The houses look pretty much like the rest of Alaska, maybe a little more run down and dilapidated. I had done a little research on line and found Nina’s place.

We went in and right away I could tell it was all about the money. To take a picture was $20 of her in costume. To take a picture inside was $20. She wanted you to have tea and bread with her that was $20. So you get my point. We left like we came with nothing. 

Then we went back to the church took a couple of pictures and left. I guess we were a little disappointed. The people we did see in the village did not wear the sash or cross and men did not have the long beards. With that we decided not to go to the other villages.

Instead we went on a scenic drive to get another amazing view of Homer Spit. Then we drove back into Homer for one last look around before we have to leave tomorrow. The Seafarer’s Memorial is dedicated to all those that have lost their lives to the sea.

Our final stop was at the boat graveyard. Several old boats that were once worthy vessels of the sea now sit up on stilts collecting dirt and sea salt.