LOCATION: On the Kennicott River at the mouth of McCarthy Creek, 61 miles east of Chitina off the Edgerton Highway near the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
DESCRIPTION: A former mining community dependent on summer tourists who visit its old buildings and learn its colorful history. The National Trust for Historic Places ranks the area as one of the nation's most endangered landmarks. Employment is limited and seasonal. Local businesses include lodges, a museum, a small store, gift shop and guide services. At the time of the April 2000 U.S. Census, 15 percent of the population was living below the official U.S. poverty level.
HISTORY: The Kennecott copper mines and camp were established about 1908 across from the Kennicott Glacier, 4.5 miles up the mountain from McCarthy. An early misspelling named the mine and mining company Kennecott, while the town, river and glacier are spelled Kennicott. In 1911, the Copper River & Northwestern Railway carried its first carload of ore to Cordova. Since no gambling or drinking was allowed at the town of Kennicott, nearby McCarthy developed as a diversion for the miners. In 1938, the mines closed and both towns were abandoned.
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