The city of Whittier, Alaska, concentrates almost all of its residents in a single building, called the Begich Towers, mainly due to extreme weather conditions and geographical isolation, which make centralizing services and housing more convenient for the community.
Whittier is a bit of the town trapped between sea and mountain that one imagines in the remote regions of Alaska. Located on the shores of Prince William Sound, this small community is surrounded by an impressive setting: steep mountains, glaciers, and rough seas. In terms of weather, it is often extreme: strong winds, heavy precipitation, and up to 6 meters of snow per year. Add to that the regular risks of avalanches and difficult road conditions, especially in winter. The town is accessible mainly via a single tunnel – an old railway tunnel that can be used by both trains and cars, which only opens at certain times during the day. As a result, residents live in an isolated environment, facing a wild nature that imposes its own rules.
Originally, Whittier is an old military base built during the Cold War. The U.S. Army created a small isolated town intended to house soldiers and support personnel. In the 1950s, two enormous towers emerged to gather all the residents in one place: the Begich Towers, which were initially called the Hodge Building. After the gradual departure of the army in the 1960s, one of the towers remained active while the other was abandoned. Today, almost the entire local population is crammed into the standing Begich Towers. This unique building quickly becomes the heart of daily life: housing, schools, shops, post office, and even a medical center, everything is there. Living in Whittier necessarily means living here; otherwise, you're not really from the area.
In Whittier, the residents of the famous Begich Towers have a full range of services available without having to go outside. On the ground floor, there is a handy little grocery store, a post office, a police station, and even a church. You can also receive care directly at a small clinic. As for the children, they don’t need to go outside for school: there is a school integrated right into the building, complete with a classroom and a covered playground. In short, everything is designed to minimize travel in an often harsh and unwelcoming outdoor environment.
Living all together in a single building allows the residents of Whittier to easily access all essential services without having to face the icy weather outside. School, post office, grocery store, and even gym are within immediate reach, greatly simplifying daily tasks. Since everything is centralized, it also fosters a strong sense of community, with residents constantly interacting. Safety is also improved: in case of an emergency or need for assistance, someone is always nearby to respond quickly. Finally, from an ecological perspective, grouping so many people in one building significantly reduces energy needs, thereby lowering the carbon footprint and optimizing the use of available resources in this remote area.
This way of life generates some issues, especially regarding intimacy. You are constantly in contact with your neighbors, making it not always easy to find a quiet personal space. Another common problem is the dependence on a single building, meaning that whenever there is a breakdown (electricity, heating, or elevator), everyone suffers directly. In terms of social atmosphere, if tension or conflict arises, it is difficult to gain distance because everyone crosses paths all the time in the same places (grocery store, school, offices). Finally, this kind of concentrated environment also clearly limits the development of varied economic activities and the diversity of social encounters.
Did you know that, despite its unusual appearance as a town almost entirely contained within a single building, Whittier attracts numerous curious tourists each year who come to discover this atypical community in Alaska and explore the surrounding wilderness?
Did you know that due to its proximity to the Portage Glacier, Whittier is a city particularly exposed to very strong winds, which can reach over 100 kilometers per hour in winter? This phenomenon often leads to power outages and difficulties with external access.
Did you know that during World War II, the American army chose Whittier as a military port due to its harsh weather conditions, which served as natural camouflage against the enemy? This military site later gave rise to the current town and the Begich Towers.
Did you know that the land access to Whittier is mainly through the Anton Anderson Tunnel, the longest combined rail and road tunnel in North America at 4 kilometers long? This tunnel has only a single lane, requiring cars and trains to alternate, which can quickly lead to unusual traffic jams.
Yes, other cities have similar characteristics, particularly in Russia, where some isolated villages in Siberia centralize community life in a single location to better cope with the harshness of the climate. However, the case of Whittier remains a unique example in North America.
Winter in Whittier can be challenging due to the harsh climate and isolation. To counter this, the community relies on proximity by living in a single building to strengthen social bonds, provide better support for one another, and limit outings in case of bad weather.
Sure! Here’s the translation: "Yes, absolutely! Whittier is accessible via a tunnel that runs under the mountain and operates on a fixed schedule. The city attracts many visitors who want to explore the Prince William Sound fjord or observe the nearby glaciers."
The Begich Towers house apartments, a school, a grocery store, a post office, a medical center, and even a church. This way, it is possible to access all essential services without ever leaving the building.
About 85% of the roughly 200 residents of Whittier live in the Begich Towers. This building houses almost the entire population of this small town in Alaska.
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