The Aleut Church Restoration Society contacted Davis Constructors
in March of 1995 about a new Russian Orthodox Church in
Atka, Alaska. Atka's original church had been burned to
the ground during World War II. Another church was built
in the early 50's of green lumber which did not hold up
to the harsh climate. The Restoration Society's mission
is to rebuild and/or restore the churches of the Aleutians
and Pribilof Islands and return pride and ownership back
to the communities.
The building site chosen by the community was surrounded
by several grave sites. Special precautions were necessary
during excavation to avoid the graves and minimize the disturbance
to the surrounding ground. Modifications were made to the
foundation to avoid moving one particular grave considered
too sacred to move.
The facility is a 1700 square foot wood frame structure
with concrete footings and pre-manufactured roof trusses.
All construction work was done by hand with minimal equipment
assistance. Davis Constructors supplied management supervision
and additional tradesmen as required to supplement the local
crew. The pride of the community and the hard work of the
locals made the project a great success and the church is
characterized as the "Jewel of the Aleutians".
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