Archaeological digs near the lodge

The Kukak Site is reported to contain 89 Koniag house ruins.

•The semi- subterranean dwellings were made of soil, rock and driftwood.

•They were usually dug into the earth three to six feet.

•Roofs were made of driftwood logs and then the whole house covered with sod and soil.

The Koniag people belong to one of the largest Native ethnic groups among the aboriginals of North America. While most Koniag settlements where on the islands of the Kodiak archipelago, several dozen ancient Koniag villages were known to be on the shores of the Shelikof Strait.
It is suspected that the housepits (barabaras) date as far back as 6,000 years, to the time of contact with the Europeans.

"...the house floor would have been made of grass, woodchips, charcoal, boards and dirt. Piles of rock that had been cracked by the fire would be scattered in different sections, suggesting that moving the rocks to other parts of the house would heat the area. A hearth would be somewhere in a main room, surrounded by a pattern of rocks. The floor around the hearth would be charcoal stained. There may have been trenches along the sides of the rooms, covered by boards. The main or center room would have been used or cooking, repairs, games or ceremonies. Side rooms would have been used for storage and sweat bathing. The rooms would typically be lit by sky lights or oil lamps...."
Amy Steffian, former curator of the Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak