Imagine an entire town living all in one large condo building… seems crazy, right?! Not in Whittier, Alaska!
Okay. Picture this: Whittier, Alaska; present day; an entire town, all living in one building (tell me at least one of you caught that Golden Girls homage? You’re my spirit animal, Sophia!). As someone who has lived their entire life in and around cities like DC, NYC, and Boston; the idea of an entire town living in one building seems absolutely ridiculous. But after listening to the residents’ experience, for such a small town, the whole concept actually seems kind of nice… as long as you don’t mind everyone up in your business, and don’t plan on dating.
Whittier, originally named after a nearby glacier, which was named after American poet John Greenleaf Whittier, was first formed as a military facility during World War II. Around the time of the Cold War the Hodge Building, later renamed the Begich Towers, was built as a barracks for those stationed at the base. When the military shut down their operations and moved out, those residents who remained moved in. Today, the majority of the roughly 220 residents all lives in Begich Towers, which also boasts a church, post office, and general store under the same roof. If you like a (very!) quiet life amidst some of the best wildlife and natural land in America, Whittier might be the place for you.
Find out more about the quaint, remote town of Whittier, Alaska and its residents:
