If you hate the thought of having neighbors, then this city in Alaska is not for you.
When you think of Alaska you probably think of amazing scenery and a lot of open ground for people to live, right?
Now that is still absolutely the case, but there is one place that is so remote the residents have decided to stick together inside one building.
Doesn't bode well for when you have noisy neighbors.
Situated 60 miles southeast of Anchorage along the Passage Canal, Whittier is home to just 263 residents as of 2023.
Known for its damp climate and lack of expansive infrastructure, the town has earned the nickname “the town under one roof” due to the majority of its population residing in the Begich Towers Condominium, a 14-story building that houses nearly all local amenities.
Inside Begich Towers, residents have access to a post office, corner store, laundromat, church, indoor playground, and even a tunnel leading to the school, per Realtor.com.
Travel influencer Nikki Delventhal, who recently visited Whittier, shared her amazement in a viral YouTube video.
“I discovered the strangest city in Alaska,” Delventhal said. “This is Whittier, a city where the population lives under one roof. Not only that, they don’t even have to leave.”
Delventhal highlighted the building’s convenience, which once even included an on-site police station. However, she also noted the town’s isolation, which is reinforced by a 2.5-mile, one-way tunnel - the only road access to Whittier - that closes at night.
“Now Whittier is locked between water and steep mountains, and the only way to get there is between a 2.5-mile, one-way tunnel that closes down at night,” Delventhal explained. “You could literally get stuck here.”
Whittier’s origins trace back to World War II when the U.S. Army established it as a port city shrouded in natural protection, including steep mountains and frequent cloud cover.
According to the town’s official website, the military built infrastructure such as the Federal railroad to Portage Valley and developed the port, which remains ice-free year-round.
“Whittier was established by the U.S. Army during World War II as the location was nestled amidst mountains and blanketed by thick cloud cover making discovery of the port city difficult,” the town’s website explains.
“The military remained active in Whittier until 1960 with a total population of about 1,200 people.”
After the Army’s departure, the population dwindled, and Whittier became an incorporated city in 1969.
The Begich Towers, originally built for military families, became the heart of the town’s living arrangement.
Whittier wasn’t always confined to one main residence. The Buckner Building, a massive high-rise once nicknamed “the city under one roof,” housed over 1,250 Army personnel in the 1950s.
It included an array of facilities such as a theater, bowling alley, barber shop, and hospital.
Despite its small population, Whittier draws thousands of visitors each year. Known as a gateway to Prince William Sound, the town is celebrated for its stunning natural beauty and historical significance.
During summer months, when the sun shines for up to 22 hours a day, Whittier hosts over 700,000 visitors annually.
“Situated at the head of Passage Canal, Whittier is by far the most visited gateway to the mesmerizing wilderness of Prince William Sound,” the town’s website notes.
Worth a visit?
