About Whittier, Alaska

Whittier is located just 60 miles southeast of Anchorage, but feels a world away. Surrounded by towering mountains and icy glaciers, Whittier sits at the head of Passage Canal, one of several deep fjords making up scenic Prince William Sound.

The community of Whittier is a special place, providing important links to the rest of Southcentral Alaska for centuries, beginning with the Chugach People who used Portage Pass as a route for trading and fishing. Russian and American explorers, then miners in search of gold utilized the area to reach Cook Inlet and the Interior regions of Alaska. But it was World War II that put Whittier on the map as a strategic deepwater port for troops, supplies, and machinery when a railroad was completed to the city in 1943. Whittier continued to grow after the war, and its unique city infrastructure is known worldwide in the form of historic military barracks, then the construction of Begich Towers, a high-rise building housing most of Whittier’s residents and their community services.

Whittier was incorporated in 1969, and while only a few hundred permanent residents call the city home, community’s numbers swell by thousands each spring and summer when visitors step off cruise ships, ferries, or an Alaska Railroad train to enjoy abundant recreational opportunities in this little seaside village. Alaska residents know Whittier as a prime location for boating, fishing, kayaking, and backcountry camping, arriving in town via the Anton Anderson Tunnel, the longest highway tunnel in North America.

A thriving community welcoming guests and residents with the same sense of hospitality, Whittier is more than a one-time stop; it’s a destination. The Greater Whittier Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to positive growth and sustainable businesses, working together for today and the future.