Prince William Sound & Copper Basin Historic Park or Site

The area of Whittier has long served as passage between Prince William Sound and Turnagain Arm. The Alaska Engineering Expedition envisioned a rail line out to this largely unsettled area back in 1914, but it was the U.S. Army that made Whittier where and what it is.

Glaciers are formed when more snow accumulates than melts through the seasons. The weight of the snow creates pressure that turns snowflakes into dense, rivers of ice that shape the land.

Believe it or not, but this area used to be covered by tall trees! However, during the 1964 Earthquake, the ground here flooded and dropped 4 feet killing all the trees only leaving behind toothpick-like remnants.

Native people used Portage Pass as a way traverse between Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound. Prospectors also used this pass to get to the gold - sometimes with tragic results.

Whittier was built as a deepwater port and railroad terminus to transport fuel and supplies during World War II. Come inside the Anchor Inn where a small but fascinating museum gives a glimpse of Whittier's interesting history.

The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel is nearly three miles long and is the longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America.

This was the original port and city of Valdez. The city was moved to its current location 4 miles down the road after it was devastated by the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake.

This railroad tunnel was hand-cut starting in 1905. Nine companies were battling to take advantage of the short route from the coast to copper country. Progress on the tunnel was interrupted and after a gun battle, construction halted and the tunnel was never finished. You can read about the tunnel and these events in Rex Beach's novel, The Iron Trail.