The Documented History Of Little Diomede Island, Alaska, United States
- The Persaud Foundation
- Jul 30
- 5 min read
In today’s article, we are going to delve into the history of Little Diomede Island, Alaska. Little Diomede Island, colloquially known as Yesterday Island, is a small island far off the coast of Alaska. It is a part of the Diomede Archipelago. Despite being a mere 2.3 miles from Big Diomede, the islands are 23 hours apart in time. For this reason, Big Diomede is known as Tomorrow Island, while Little Diomede is known as Yesterday Island.
Little Diomede is incredibly isolated, as it is only 16 miles from mainland Alaska, & doesn’t have any roads leading to it. Usually, the only way to get to the island is by helicopter, & in the summer, by boat. Despite the harsh conditions, the island still currently has a population of 87. The majority of these people are indigenous Inupiat people.
Little Diomede has an incredibly interesting history, with the Indigenous people inhabiting it long before Russia or the United States. The island, along with Big Diomede, once belonged to Russia. However, during the Alaska Purchase, Little Diomede was acquired by the United States, while Big Diomede remained property of Russia. The border between these 2 nations was drawn between the isles, thus making crossing illegal & a punishable offence.
The island was also been home to numerous prehistoric megafauna, such as the wooly mammoth, wooly rhino, mastodon, & the feared short-faced bear.
In this article, we shall examine the documented history of Little Diomede Island, the Indigenous Aboriginals of Little Diomede Island, the most destructive disasters to affect the island, & the economy of Little Diomede Island. With that being said, let us delve into the history of this frigid arctic island.
The Documented History Of Little Diomede Island
Prehistoric Diomede
Humans have inhabited Little Diomede Island as long as they have inhabited Alaska, which they began inhabiting approximately 15,000 years ago when humans crossed the frozen bering strait on foot. While the population of the island was never massive, it has had a sustained populous.
Russian Diomede
1700’s
Little Diomede as well as Big Diomede were officially discovered on August 16th, 1728, by esteemed Russian Explorer, Vitus Bering. He named it after Saint Diomede of Tarsus, as the island was discovered on Saint Diomede’s Day. Very little was done with the island until approximately 1880, after the Alaska Purchase.
1800 to 1867
In 1867, Russia sold the entirety of Alaska to the United States. As a result, a new boarder needed to be defined between the two nations. It was decided that Big Diomede would remain Russian, while Little Diomede would become American, & the new boarder would be divided between the two. The natives on both islands would however, not be affected by this.
American Diomede
1867 to 1899
The first census on the island was conducted in 1880, which recorded approximately 40 Inupiat individuals living on the island. The main town on the island was also referred to as “Inalet”, instead of the modern day title of “Diomede”. Father of Modern day National Parks, ecologist, & naturalist John Muir visited the island in 1881, & noted how gloomy the island was, calling it one of the quote“..Dreariest towns I ever beheld!”. He also noted how many marine animals inhabited the coastline around the island with large seal & seabird colonies along every rock.
1900s
Little Diomede would not have very many historical events occur in relation to it, until the Second World War. In World War 2, the Soviets developed a small military base on Big Diomede, which likely would have been used to assist in the Pacific Theatre. All remaining Inupiat on the island were relocated to Russia, & a strict no-crossing policy was instituted. Ever since then, attempting to cross between the 2 islands by foot was strictly prohibited unless authorized, & resulted in detainment, questioning, fines, & potential imprisonment. The two cultures became separated, & though they maintained the same Inupiat culture, were now separated by the two nations politics.
The Aboriginals Of Little Diomede Island
The Indigenous Inupiat People
The Indigenous Inupiat People have lived on Little Diomede since people have occupied Alaska. They are the native peoples of North & West Alaska, as well as Eastern Russia. They are considered to be members of the larger Inuit Culture. Inupiat people primarily speak English, however they are also known to speak Inupiaq. Their population is incredibly small, with an estimated population of 20,000. The Inupiat have generally been peaceful, & rarely have initiated violent conflict without reason.
Their traditional diet primarily consists of seal meat, whale meat, certain kinds of fish, caribou, grasses, & seaweed. To hunt, they often use traps, or snares. Very little of the animals they hunt goes to waste, with fur going to roofing, furniture, or clothing, & bones going to a traditional form of sunglasses or sewing needles.
Their traditional clothing is well known for its beautiful & intricate embellishments, which often have a naturalistic meaning. Due to the harsh arctic conditions, their traditional jackets are typically made from seal skin to insulate warmth.
Traditional houses typically have a frame made of animal bones as well as stones, & are covered with sod & moss. The roofs are usually made of animal skin, such as seal skin.
Apart from using sled animals, Inupiat people have 2 primary kinds of boats, those being the Umiak & the Kayak. The Umiak is a large kind of boat used for hunting, travelling, & trading. They are typically 15 to 50 feet long, depending on what they were made for. They are made from animal skin, typically whale or seal skin, being put over a piece of shaped driftwood or bone. They are propelled by oars, though they occasionally have sails made of animal intestines. The Kayak is a a smaller boat, designed to hold only 1 to 3 people. These boats are closed, & are designed for a person to sit in rather then on. They are often used for hunting, or fishing, & are propelled by oars.
The Most Destructive Disasters To Affect Little Diomede Island
Disaster No. 1: The Impending Collapse Induced By Climate Change
Unfortunately, Little Diomede is highly susceptible to Climate Change. Much of the ground on the isle is made of Permafrost, & structures are built on stilts as a result. Due to global warming, the permafrost is gradually disappearing or shrinking, causing ground instability. In December of 2023, the local school collapsed into the local government office, causing severe issues for the people of Diomede. If this continues, infrastructure will continue collapsing, & if not replaced, will drive people off the island. Additionally, the shifting permafrost has caused issues in having a run way, & without a run way, planes cannot land. This severely limits the amount of resources that can be brought to the island, as well as the methods of transportation. Without planes, people & supplies can only reach the island by helicopter or in the summer months, boat.
The Economy Of Little Diomede Island
Little Diomede Island has an incredibly small population of approximately 87, making the economy also very small. Much of the economy comes from indigenous fishing of whales & seals, or tourism. Many tourists visit the island to see the scenic views, & learn more about the history as well as the culture.
Directories / Credits
Citation No. 1: “Climate Change Brings Collapsing Stilts and Hungry Bears to Little Diomede Island” Written by Cecily Hillaery, Published on December 23rd, 2023. Published by the Voice of America.
Citation No. 2: “Community Profile: Lirtle Diomede”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Harriman Retraced.
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