The first European to visit the archipelago was the Russian navigator Aleksei Chirikov in 1741, who sighted the coasts of Noyes and Baker Islands (both off the west coast of Prince of Wales Island), as well as Baranof, Chichagof, Kruzof and Yakobi Islands.
O primeiro europeo que visitou o arquipélago foi o navegante ruso Aleksei Chirikov en 1741, que avistou as costas das illas Noyes e Baker (ámbalas dúas da costa oeste da Illa do Príncipe de Gales), así como as illas Baranof, Chichagof, Kruzof e Yakobi.