State's oldest business celebrates 140 years of commerce: ACC/N C machinery revisit their shared history.

• Author: Resz, Heather A.
• Position: Alaska Commercial Company - Company overview

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No Alaska business holds a more storied place in state history than the Alaska Commercial Co. Seven days before the United States' $7.2 million purchase of Alaska became final, Hutchinson, Kohl and Co. of San Francisco purchased the Russian-American Co.'s interests in Alaska for $350,000 in gold.

The business begat of that 3 a.m. exchange on Oct. 11, 1867, would officially incorporate in California under the name Alaska Commercial Co. on Sept. 17, 1868.

"Our piece of American history makes us one of the most intriguing businesses in the United States," company President and Chief Operating Officer Rex Wilhelm stated in a press release celebrating the 140th anniversary of operations as Alaska Commercial Co.

But the company's history in Alaska stretches still further back to 1775, when Grigori Shelekhov began organizing commercial trips to Alaska for Russian fur merchants.

As things turned out, history records Shelekhov as a key figure in developing Alaska and the Alaska Commercial Co.

It was at the behest of Tsarina Catherine the Great that Shelekhov led an expedition in 1784 to Three Saints Bay on Kodiak Island where the first Russian colony in North America was founded. And it was his Shelekhov Co. that would eventually become known as the Russian-American Co.

His pleas also led to the establishment of the Russian Orthodox mission in Alaska in 1794, which the company financed after Catherine the Great awarded Shelekhov's Russian-American Co. sole control over trade and government in Alaska in 1799.

"You can't look at any chapter in Alaska history and not see AC's presence there," said David Chatyrbok, ACC's vice president of marketing. "We are very proud that we're still one of Alaska's top companies."

MORE THAN A RETAILER

If you live on Alaska's road system, you'll need a plane ticket to shop at one of Alaska Commercial's 32 retail stores.

"You won't find any of our stores on the road system," Wilhelm said. Today, ACC is rural Alaska's largest retailer--employing more than 900 staff members. But its stores are more than a good place to work and shop.

Many times over the years, Alaska Commercial's stores have served extra duty as banks, U.S post offices, community halls, courtrooms, marriage parlors, funeral homes and as safe havens for travelers.

Wilhelm said this company, which began as string of trading posts that bartered imported goods for Alaska's pelts, gold, artifacts and fish, has stayed in business by...