Photos courtesy of Mike and Joan Sinnwell June 2008
Chitina Alaska Ghost town
Chitina is located on the west bank of the Copper River. It was a stopping point for the Copper River Northwest Railroad. This railroad ran for 27 years carrying the copper from Kennecott mine to the coast at Cordova. Originally all of Chitina was owned by a survey engineer for the Kennecott Mines. When the railroad stopped operating in 1938 the town was slowly dying. In 1963 the land was purchased by Merle “Mudhole” Smith, that is a story in itself, a famous bush pilot and he gradually sold off the buildings and townsite. It is no longer a ghost town as it now is the last stop for fuel and groceries before you enter the Wrangle – St Elias (all 12 Million acres) National Park and Preserve. While Joan and I stopped we saw numerous fish wheels and dip nets in action harvesting some of the most beautiful salmon I have seen in a long time.
A viewer writes – Thursday, January 06, 2011 — Hello . former resident of Chitina emporium nice photos brings back memory’s. thanks, Gerald Churchill