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Because of both the Cold War and the current war in Ukraine, many Americans – and much of the world – have largely forgotten that the U.S. state of Alaska was once a colony of their "greatest enemy," the Russians. While it's tempting to attribute the end of Russia's colonial ambitions in America to Alaska's vast size and isolation, the reality is that the Russians tried hard to make it work.
Beginning in the early 19th century, the Russian Empire pursued expansion into North America with ambitions rivaling those of other European powers. Their most notable effort to establish a permanent foothold came with the founding of Fort Ross, a settlement in what is now Northern California. Although the colony ultimately fell short of its broader goals, it endured for about three decades, leaving behind a legacy that still echoes today – after all, the Russian River owes its name to those early settlers. In time, Fort Ross was sold and faded into the background of history.
Yet it's intriguing to imagine what might have happened had the Russians succeeded in their ambitions. The Pacific Northwest of that era was a contested frontier, claimed by several competing powers. Under slightly different circumstances, Russia could have emerged as the dominant force in the region. What kind of nation might have evolved from such a victory? How would this have reshaped the Cold War and beyond? What sort of world would we live in today if there had still been a Russian America?
Point of Divergence
Under the leadership of Ivan Kuskov, the Russian-American Company established a base for the Russian Empire in what was then Spanish-controlled Alta California. During this time, Kuskov's vision for the settlement began to evolve. What had started as a commercial enterprise gradually became, in his eyes, the foundation of a new Russian colony in North America. Encouraged by his friend and superior, Alexander Baranov, who shared his ambitions, Kuskov persuaded his men to settle permanently and even urged them to bring their families.
News of a Russian foothold in North America spread rapidly. Within just a few years, the small outpost grew into a thriving community of several hundred settlers. Under the joint leadership of Ivan and his wife, Elizabeth Kuskova, the colony expanded both in population and importance. Much of its early success could be credited to Elizabeth, who played a vital role in fostering peaceful relations with the local Pomo people by learning their language and promoting cooperation. The settlement soon became a key agricultural hub – essentially a breadbasket for Russia's North American ventures. Although much work remained, the colony's future appeared secure.
Fort Ross, California
However, the growing Russian presence in California alarmed the Americans, British, and Spanish, all wary of the potential shift in regional power. Spain, in particular, viewed the Russian colony as a direct challenge, since it was flourishing on territory Spain still claimed. Russia defended its actions by noting that the settlement lay north of Spain's northernmost outpost at San Francisco, but this argument did little to ease Spanish anger – especially as Spain's vast New World empire was already beginning to crumble. Tensions reached a breaking point when Russian traders began doing business with rebel colonies and anti-Spanish privateers.
In 1820, determined to reassert control, Spain dispatched an expeditionary force to Fort Ross. The Spanish hoped a modest show of strength would compel the Russians to withdraw peacefully. Instead, the colonists stood their ground and successfully defended the fort. The unexpected Russian victory solidified their hold on the region and ignited years of conflict between the two empires. With Spain's colonial power rapidly waning, Russia ultimately emerged triumphant – securing Spain's former claims in the Pacific Northwest and, by century's end, pushing both the Americans and British out of the area. The once-modest Russian presence would eventually evolve into the independent nation of Alaska.
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