Whittier Alaska
The 12 square mile city of Whittier and nearby Whittier Glacier were named after the American poet John Greenleaf Whittier, and are located approximately 75 miles southeast of Anchorage. Whittier is situated on the west side of Prince William Sound and is surrounded by the massive Chugach National forest. This area, including Prince William Sound is well known for its pristine waters, deep fjords and massive glaciers.
In the early 1900’s a railroad terminus and port were constructed in Whittier by the U.S. Army to aid in transport of supplies during WWII. The railroad spur was finished in 1943 and the Whittier Port became a drop point for Alaskan troops and dependents. The port remained an active Army facility until 1960 and had a population of 1,200 residents. Whittier was incorporated as a city in 1969 and today has an average population of 250 year around residents.
The town of Whittier provides access to hiking, camping, sea kayaking, sport fishing, and wildlife and glacier cruises in Prince William Sound. Annual events include a 4th of July celebration, Three-Headed Fish Derby, and Regatta in the spring.
Vehicle access to Whittier is via the 2.5-mile Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the longest vehicle tunnel in North America. This WWII train tunnel was redesigned in 2000 and converted to a one lane railroad/vehicle tunnel. For more tunnel information, visit www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/index.shtml
Major Marine Tours offers a half-day Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise into Blackstone Bay departing from Whittier during May thru September. Each cruise features a uniformed Chugach National Forest Ranger as your guide and our famous, all-you-can-eat Alaska Salmon and Prime Rib meal served buffet style. For complete details on all Major Marine Tours cruises, please visit our Alaska Day Cruises section.
City Links
Links are provided here at the request of the business owner/webmaster.
Major Marine Tours is not responsible for the content or accuracy of these third-party sites.
To report a problem with a site, please click here.
