Whittier is an unusual city whose population lives under one roof
There are a lot of tiny cities in the USA with a population of several dozen people. But the town of Whittier in Alaska is special. Only 220 residents have settled in it, but it is difficult to surprise someone with this. But the fact that all the townspeople live in one 14-storey building is unusual even for a battered America.
The town of Whittier is lost among the mountains and forests of the northeast of the Alaska peninsula. It is located on the shore of an incredibly picturesque bay, framed by rocks and rocky beaches. This is a fairly young settlement that appeared on the map after the end of World War II.
At first Whittier was a naval base. The place was ideal for warships and submarines, as the bay was deep and did not freeze. The military also appreciated that due to the high mountains surrounding this place, access to the base was only from the sea. A real northern fortress, equipped by nature itself.
But it was difficult without a land route, and over time it was necessary to cut a three-kilometer tunnel in the rocks. A highway and railway tracks were placed in it. After the land corridor appeared in Whittier, people began to come there. Someone was traveling to serve a military base, and someone just chose this harsh but wonderful place to live.
Soon a civilian port was opened in Whittier, which was visited by fishing and cargo ships, and sometimes passenger liners. This gave an impetus to the development of infrastructure. A hospital, a school, several shops, a cafe, a restaurant, a beauty salon and even a club appeared on the shore of the bay.
Cozy one-story houses were built for civilians. But a large 14-storey building with its own name Begich Towers was erected for the military.
This apartment building has become the most multi-storey building in the state of Alaska. His project was created by architect Anton Andersen. The building was named Begich Towers in honor of Alaska Congressman Nick Begich, who tragically died in a plane crash. We can say that this is not a house, but a whole city in the house. The project provided for accommodation inside the commandant's office, medical unit, canteen, gyms, recreation area, laundry, library and even a temple.
A high-rise building for military personnel proudly towered over the village for several years, until an accident occurred. In 1964, in the spring, the Great Alaska Earthquake occurred. It caused a tsunami and landslides that almost completely destroyed the low-rise buildings of Whittier.
Begich Towers was also damaged, but the military was able to quickly restore it. However, they did not use it for long — soon they decided to close the base. The government decided that Whittier was too dangerous a place to house warships and ammunition. But the city did not die — the port continued to work and most of the civilians remained.
The townspeople were allowed to temporarily move into a multi-storey building until their housing is restored. But years passed, and the state authorities were in no hurry with the construction. Since no one drove the townspeople out of the military house, they stayed there to live. Everyone liked it, because everything you need for life was on the lower floors and in bad weather you could solve any problems without going outside. Many residents of Witter leave their home only to go to work at the port.
The school is located in a separate building, but children can still not go out in the cold. A tunnel has been laid from Begich Towers to the temple of knowledge, in which it is always warm and bright. All military premises were converted for civilian needs. Only the commandant's office performs its managerial function — the mayor's office and the police station have been placed in it.
The gyms where the sailors once trained have been converted into fitness clubs and playgrounds for children. Other army premises were converted into shops, a barber shop and a service center. The church remained in the same place.
Life in Whittier is not simple. In winter, everything is covered with a thick layer of snow and there is a polar night. A short summer almost does not please with the sun, but sometimes it rains for weeks. New residents do not come to the town, as there is very little work in it. But even old-timers are in no hurry to leave their city-home, for the sake of civilization. In Whittier, there are those who have chosen such a life themselves and who are satisfied with everything.
By the way, tourists sometimes appear in the city. Some enterprising residents rent their apartments to them and arrange tours of Begich Towers. They are not stopped even by the fact that it is prohibited by the rules. For exoticism, including, among other things, walks in the picturesque surroundings, guests pay good money.