This Entire Alaskan Town Lives Under One Roof!
Imagine living in a town with everyone under one roof! Embedded among tall, snow-covered mountains on the west side of Prince William Sound in Southern Alaska, Whittier is one of the most unique towns in the United States. With a population of just over 260, this entire Alaskan town lives under one roof! Many of the building’s residents own T-shirts that say “POW” which stands for ‘Prisoner of Whittier.’
Whittier’s residents live in a single building, the ‘Begich Tower‘ at the corner of the town. Built during World War II as a military harbor, the place is one self-sufficient structure. The earthquake in 1964 and the 13-meter-high Tsunami that followed triggered more people to stay together. This 14-story building supports the lives of its residents and the daily interactions of residents in Whittier are quite amusing. Let’s explore the story of this Alaskan town living under one roof!
The History Behind the Building
On the edge of town stands a 14-story building called ‘Begich Towers,’ built between 1953 and 1957 and used as a former Army barracks. The town started to develop when the US Army decided to build a secret military facility to transport troops and cargo to Anchorage and Fairbanks. Whittier had easy access to an ice-free deep-water port, a natural shield against air attacks, and a remote topography. Begich Towers accommodated over 1,200 people.
Apart from barracks, it had a dining area, and theater, all built from wood, along with a railway system and a port. In 1945, after the war, the structure was dismantled. However, in 1947, began the Cold War with the Soviet Union led the U.S. army to decide to continue the military unit. They planned to accommodate over 1,000 members of the army in this building so-called “city under one roof.”
The town adopted 19th-century American poet John Greenleaf Whittier’s name. Military withdrawal started in 1964 from Whittier after an earthquake caused critical damage to the port and railway.
Why Just One Building?
Currently, the town has 214 residents and 180 of them live in the Begich building which makes up 85% of the residents. The rest of the community lives in 80 apartments in Whittier Manor. Since the military left, the population remained quite stable with only a few signs of growth. The extreme weather conditions of Whittier up to 60 mph winds and 250–400 inches of snowfall justify that the entire town is living under one roof!
The Role of the Weather
Whittier experiences wildly variable weather of winds of up to 96 km per hour, 6 meters of snow, and average temperatures of -21 ºC in winter. Locals are unable to travel anywhere due to poor weather and roads. A person returning to the town will have a hard time because there is no easy way to get to this location. People would rather live in the building for this reason.
The Life Inside Begich Towers
Living in Begich Towers means that from a small staff to the owner, all live together in one building. There are facilities built including a police station, grocery store, laundromat, church, and hospitals, under one roof. Whittier School is even connected to a tunnel on the ground floor of the West Tower
On one side of the building’s first floor is the post office, and on the other is the police station. By moving a little further into the space, there are government offices and a busy Kozy Korner convenience store. This setup is very beneficial during the harsh Alaskan winters, where severe weather conditions trouble the lifestyle.
Visiting Whittier
Visiting Whittier is quite a ride as the main path is by road, crossing the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel by vehicles and rail which passes under Maynard Mountain. This tunnel is the longest in North America with 4 km. It is a one-lane tunnel and trains only move through the tunnel in one direction at a time making the journey between Bear Valley and Whittier regulated with a series of times.
Conclusion
This entire Alaskan town lives under one roof in Whittier stands as an example of the adaptability and resilience of life. Even though, it might seem unusual for the outside world, living under one roof is a practical and efficient way for Whittier residents to survive in a challenging environment. This small town shows the world a unique perspective on community living, a supportive and self-sufficient community, all under one roof.
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