Gerasim Pribylov, a Russian fur trader, is credited for discovering the islands which now bear his name, although an ancient Aleutian legend describes the story of a young man named Igadik, who, after observing the migration of pregnant seals, ventured into the sea to follow the seals and was caught in a storm. He swiftly paddled his badairka in the direction of barking noises and there he found the island inhabited by fur seals. The Pribilofs, as they are now known, consist of five islands north of the Aleutian chain. The community of St. George is on the island of the same name, and is the southern-most of five islands in the Pribilofs. The largest island in the Pribilofs is St. Paul, originally named St. Peter and St. Paul Island, after the two vessels of Vitus Bering’s second expedition.

Hundreds of species of birds nest on these islands, and over one million fur seals call the black sand beaches home during the summer months.

The first Aleuts to inhabit the islands were relocated from elsewhere along the Aleutian chain during the Russian era in Alaska. During World War II, residents were relocated to Southeast Alaska, where many succumbed to disease and malnutrition. After the war, however, a large number of residents chose to return to the islands, and through their determination, created communities of their own. Although commercial seal harvesting was ended in 1983, residents are still able to harvest seals for subsistence purposes. Commercial fishing and tourism are being developed to diversify the economy. As in much of rural Alaska, the Russian Orthodox church has a significant role in these communities.

The weather in the Pribilofs can be extreme and harsh as the islands are not sheltered from frontal systems coming across the Bering Sea. Most trees do not survive the winds. In addition to wind, St. George and St. Paul receive an average of 23 inches of rain and 57 inches of snowfall. This arctic maritime climate ranges temperatures from 19 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit.