Augustine Volcano's History

Augustine Volcano's known eruptive history dates back to 1812 but little is known about the activity occurring that year. Captain James Cook named and charted the volcano in 1778. He described it then as having a conical shape. In 1880 the mountain was described as a "low rounded dome without a peak".

A violent eruption occurred on July 6, 1883 during which the summit was destroyed. Afterwards there was a crater at the top of the mountain, the shape of the new summit being quite jagged. During that eruption large seawaves were created. These carried away boats and deluged houses at Port Graham, 50 miles away.

Lava and ash flows accompanied an eruption in 1935. During this eruption a new dome began to grow in the floor of the crater created in 1883. Growth of the dome renewed during explosive eruptions in 1963 and 1969. Since 1958, the dome has grown about 245 feet.

Because of its continuing activity, Augustine is probably the most dangerous of the Cook Inlet volcanoes.