In 1877, word reached the Presbyterian minister, and superintendent of education in Alaska, Sheldon Jackson, of apparent interest in Christianity amongst the Tlingit of Sitka. In 1879, he sent missionary John Brady, and teacher Fannie Kellogg, to Sitka to start a mission day school. Both left the posting within the year, but they were quickly replaced by the missionary Alonzo Austin and his daughter, who restarted the day school in 1880, welcoming both Tlingit and Russian-American students. The school burnt down in 1881 but was rebuilt by the following year. Jackson subsequently raised extensive funding for the school, which then moved and expanded. Jackson died in 1910.

The school, previously Sitka Industrial and Training School, was renamed the Sheldon Jackson Institute. In 1944, the school began offering college courses, gaining formal accreditation in 1966, becoming the Sheldon Jackson College. The school closed in 2008 due to financial issues.

Offered here are two nineteenth century views of the school with students present, both taken in 1887 by different photographers.