Kennecott, Historic copper mine in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Kennecott is a former copper mine in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska, with buildings spread across mountain slopes. The tallest structure is a multi-story processing mill, surrounded by administrative buildings, workshops, and red wooden houses.
Financiers like JP Morgan and the Guggenheim family established the mine in the early 20th century after rich copper deposits were discovered in Alaska. Operations ended in 1938 when the richest veins ran out and the global copper price dropped.
Workers and their families lived in an isolated community that maintained a hospital, school, and even a swimming pool. The red wooden buildings cling to steep slopes and show how people adapted to extreme conditions.
Access is via the unpaved McCarthy Road or by small aircraft, with the road closed in winter. The National Park Service offers summer tours through some buildings, while other areas can only be viewed from the outside.
The ore mined here had an unusually high copper content, often over 70 percent. This purity made transport across great distances and difficult terrain economically worthwhile.
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