Now of archaeological interest, the site, about 7 miles (11 km) north of Sitka at the end of Halibut Point Road, was the site of the early Russian-American Company settlement known as Redoubt St. Archangel Michael (Russian: форт Архангела Михаила, r "Fort Arkhangela Mikhaila").

[3] In 1779, Alexander Baranov, a leader of the Russian-American Company, arrived near the site of modern Sitka, and negotiated with the local Tlingit people for a site on which the company could establish an outpost.

Although he would have preferred what is now called Castle Hill in Sitka, he was granted this site on Starrigavan Bay.

[3] The Russians returned to the area in force in 1804, and established a permanent presence at Castle Hill after the Battle of Sitka.

The site was excavated in 1934-35, at which time archaeologists recovered numerous artifacts and identified the locations of the Russian buildings of the former redoubt.