Begich towers, home to about half the population of whittier, gets a. There is also a church, a grocery, laundry, a small hotel, conference room, and a play area with an indoor pool within the complex. The tunnel to whittier, alaska was built in 1939 and is the only road accessible way to access whittier. The alaska engineering expedition envisioned a rail line out to this largely unsettled area back in 1914, but it was the u. The hodge building now begich towers was built for army bachelors quarters and family housing. In march of 1974, the hodge building was officially renamed begich towers in remembrance of congressman begich and formed into a condominium association. There have been many sightings of a shadowy figure roaming the hallways throughout the night as well as unexplained voices, whistles, and chains heard down the hallways. These 12 urban legends in alaska will keep you awake at night. The port at whittier was an active army facility until 1960. Whittier, alaska simple english wikipedia, the free. Anchor inn and glacier view condo suites online room reservation form. The begich towers condominium is a building in the small city of whittier, alaska. Have you heard of whittier, alaska, the city under one roof.
Whittier has been described as a town under one roof since most of its residents live within the same 14story begich towers apartment building which includes a post office, a general store, hospital, the whittier police department, and the mayors office. Fortysix years later, the 14story, 196 condominiumcomplex remains home to most of whittiers 200 residents. The 14 storey tower also houses stores, churches and public utilities. The begich towers condos in whittier ak are a great place to call home. Begich towers condominium association of apartment owners is a 196 unit condominium community located in whittier, alaska. The small city of whittier, alaska has only two large buildings. You can find condos for sale in begich towers if there are any available today as well as all available whittier ak condos for sale on my website. Begich towers was originally built for the military. The begich building became a condominium, and along with the twostory private residence known as whittier manor, houses a majority of the towns residents. Adn reporter, mainly writing about culture, arts and alaska history. House of representatives from alaskas atlarge district in office january 3, 1971 october 16, 1972 preceded byhoward pollock succeeded bydon young personal details born nicholas joseph begich april 6, 1932 eveleth, minnesota, u. Begich has published articles in science, politics and. Instead, on the edge of town, there stands a 14story building called begich towers a former army barracks, resembling an aging hotel.
The great alaskan earthquake and tsunami of 1964 left the cold war buildings intact while destroying waterfront and rail yard facilities. Note the large residential building begich towers in the centerright of the image. The main reason for this reputation comes from the fact that about half of whittiers residents live in a single building begich towers. The begich towers stand tall on a foggy day in whittier on tuesday. The begich towers in whittier were originally meant for servicemen and their families but now serve as condominiums for local residents. Begich towers, whittier whittier in alaska is not all that large so almost all of its 215 residents live in begich towers condominium. Junes whittier condo suites whittier hotels with a view. Angels dont play this haarp advances in tesla technology by dr. Begich towers, home to about half the population of. The buckner building, completed in 1953, was once the largest building in alaska, and was called the city under one roof.
The cold war construction boom included 7 stillstanding structures, including the abandoned and unstable buckner building and the maintained 14story hodge building now begich towers. Begich middle school begich middle school homepage. The begich towers condominium is a building in the small town of whittier, alaska. Whittiers fascinating history glacier city gazette.
The 14story hodge building renamed begich towers was completed in 1957 and contains 150 twoandthreebedroom apartments plus bachelor efficiency units. Two large building in whittier were built to house the military, the 14story hodge building now begich towers and the buckner building that was damaged in the 1964 earthquake and has remained uninhabitable since that time. You see a ton of boats that are just scattered all over, he says. This has earned whittier the nickname of a town under one roof. The building was designed in 1953 by anton anderson to host the headquarters of the us army corps of engineers.
In this alaskan town, every resident lives in the same building winter in whittier means one thing. First namesake of famous whittier building served in alaska during world war ii. He contacted pioneers and veterans before they passed away and received photos, interviews and oral histories. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected. The begich towers condominium association of apartment owners was incorporated in 1974 as a 196unit condo community. Whittier alaska is a small alaskan village about an hour and a half away from anchorage. Inside whittier, alaska, the town where everyone lives in. Once complete, the rail became alaskas main supply link for the war effort. In this alaskan town, every resident lives in the same building. When all the tourists leave whittier, only about 218 residents are leftand almost all of them live in one building, begich towers. Our mission is for every student to develop the skills to build a strong social and academic foundation through social emotional learning sel and curriculum based education.
You will not be disappointed if you end up living here. The 14story hodge building now begich towers was completed in 1957, and contained 150 two and three bedroom apartments plus bachelor efficiency units. The huge buildings that dominate whittier began construction in 1948. Dependent families and civil service employees were moved into this highrise. One of the ghosts who calls begich towers home is particularly fond. Because begich is historical, some people dont know if they want to be in. Have you heard of whittier, alaska, the city under one. Located on the top two floors of the 14story begich towers, junes whittier condo suites have whittiers best views of the water, harbor, mountains, and train station through their floortoceiling windows. Free community and demographic reports for whittier. What is now the begich towers was part of that plan. Often you will find locals hanging out, workers passing through and catching a meal, or travelers from afar checking out the whittier scene. He is presumed to have died in the crash of a light aircraft in alaska in 1972.
And whats even more remarkable than the towns tiny size is the fact that virtually all of its residents live inside just one 14floor building, begich towers. The area of whittier has served for centuries as a passageway between prince william sound and turnagain arm. Dependent families and civil service employees were moved into this employee housing high rise. Room located on top two floors of begich towers, inc bti check in. Begich towers incorporated whittier 2020 all you need. The building, called begich towers, holds a police station, a health clinic, a church, and a laundromat. The hodge building, now begich towers, under construction in the 1950s, as seen from uphill. After wwii, whittier remained an important location on the military supply chain, experiencing a second boom during the cold war, when both the buckner building and the begich towers were built. History governance resources employment building improvements. Begich tower a complete town in one 14storey tower in.
He contacted pioneers and veterans before they passed away and received photos. An alaska history buff, he enjoys writing about the place. It was named the hodge building in memory of colonel william walter hodge, commander of the 93rd engineer regiment on the alcan highway. And the amount of wildlife positively dwarfs the amount of people, especially in whittier, which is home to just 218 people. When spencer first came to whittier, very few knew begich towers used to be called the hodge building, and the ones who knew the name hodge did not know who he was.
Almost all of the more than 200 residents of whittier live in a single building. Begich towers the two buildings that dominate the town were built after world war ii. In addition to accommodating the towns residents, the towers also houses whittiers police station, only grocery store and local government office. A complete town in one 14storey tower in americas alaska. Welcome to whittier, alaska, a community under one roof.
It was originally built as an army facility but has now become a small village since the destruction of. The hodge building now called begich towers was built for housing soldiers and the buckner building, finish being built in 1953, was called the city under one roof. Welcome to whittier, alaska, a community under one roof this sleepy town on the west side of prince william sound is remote, and its hit with brutal winter weather every year. Sound in the hallways carries easily but no one seems to mind. In fact, this condominium is the only building in the whole town. One is abandoned and frequented by bears, while the other houses almost all of the citys population. Our suites are located in a historical building begich towers, built by the army corps of engineers in 1957.
The structure is notable for being the residence for nearly the entire population of the town, as well as containing many of its public facilities. Visit begich towers incorporated on your trip to whittier. Photographer reed young wanted to capture the drydocked boat in the foreground. They dont just live there in the bitter winter, though. The alaskan town where most residents live under one roof. Begich towers, whittier are at their most frightening in. Begich towers incorporated whittier 2020 all you need to know. Even odder, every single one of whittiers inhabitants lives in the same building, known as begich towers. The two big buildings that are very easy to notice in whittier were built after world war ii. Aerial view of whittier and its harbor, photo courtesy of whittieralaska. Princess cruises has some information on whittier, alaska, history, a crucial. Buckner and begich towers were at one time the largest buildings in alaska. How whittier, alaska, won world war ii princess cruises. However, instead of building new homes, they decided to move into the empty begich towers.
This 14story building boasts breathtaking views of the ocean, glaciers, and waterfalls cascading from towering mountains that surround whittier. The building is composed of brick and steel, making it safe and sound. Welcome to anchor inn welcome to the historic anchor inn. Store smithsonian journeys smithsonian channel smithsonian books. Most have condos for the entire year, but spend much of the summertime out running businesses and helping tourists. All this makes life peculiar here, so much so that a book about whittier published 15 years ago. The building is also reported to be one of the most haunted place in alaska. In 1972, congressman nicholas joseph nick begich, sr. In this alaskan town, every resident lives in the same. The association has been operating continuously since that time.
February 24, 2014 ask someone where the first condominium was built in the u. Watch complete news story to get the detailed news updates. The 14story begich towers incorporated, known around these parts simply as bti, is probably the last thing. View all hotels near begich towers incorporated on tripadvisor. In 1972, the tallest building in whittier, alaska, was renamed to begich towers in memory of nick begich.
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