15 Staggering Photos Of An Abandoned Military Barracks Hiding In Alaska
By Courtney|Published March 30, 2017
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Courtney
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Living and loving life in Alaska, Courtney enjoys living a happy life based on simple principles; work hard, be kind, stay humble. She is an avid dog lover with hobbies that include running, fly fishing, hiking & snowboarding.
Unless you consider the Prince William Sound marine accessibility to the isolated town of Whittier, there is really only one way in and one way out. As if that wasn’t suspenseful enough, to get into this tiny town you have to go through a 2.5-mile-long tunnel carved into the side of a mountain. Not only that, but this long, dark trek is actually the longest combined rail/highway tunnel in all of North America. So, it’s basically impossible to drive through this dark and eerie passageway without the lingering thought of being trapped inside crossing your mind.
Once you see daylight creeping out at the other end of the tunnel, you’ll know you’ve made it to the town of Whitter. But the creepiness isn’t over just yet. Head up to the old abandoned Buckner Building to see a tragic piece of American history sitting dangerously abandoned at the top of the hillside. While the outside looks unnerving, what’s inside will totally blow your mind.
1. The Buckner Building was constructed by the military in 1953 with the intention to be a combined mess hall, sleeping quarters, recreational, medical and administrative facility.
At the time it was built it was one of the largest buildings in Alaska, which let to it most commonly being referred to as "the city under one roof." The massive 1964 Good Friday Earthquake is what led to the abandonment of this building. Although because the structure was made with reinforced concrete construction, the inside was effected but the building itself saw very little damage.
2. Due to the deadly, dangerous nature of the building, it is no longer open for the general public to explore at their leisure. But when visitors were able to get inside, the photos that got snapped were positively traumatizing.
A devastating end to a structure that was once used to house our respected military personnel.
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4. Asbestos is one of the leading reasons that the Buckner Building is so dangerous and deadly. Calcium carbonate, otherwise known as calcite, can be seen forming from the concrete walls and ceilings.
Many say that the results of these "asbestosicles" are chemically identical to those found in limestone caves.
5. What was once a gathering area for military members and their families to enjoy a cinematic viewing experience on the big-screen, is now merely an abandoned room with plentiful theater seating.
7. This is the old officers bar where the 'leaders of the pack' would come to unwind and let loose, without having to worry about making a good impression on their subordinates.
This area was on a private wing of one of the floors, with plentiful space for officers from all different units to come and enjoy a good stiff drink after a long day of work.
8. Although all power and utilities to this building have obviously been cut off for many years, decaying walls leave electrical outlets, pipes and heating systems exposed.
This is just a small fraction of why the Buckner Building is said to be one of the most dangerous abandoned buildings in the U.S.
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9. Because light and laughter can bring smiles and happiness to even the most tragic of situations, the graffiti T-Rex painting on the outside of the abandoned building is worthy of a photo all by itself.
You'll see that this painting is on the bottom of the building near the fire escape exit, making it easy for a visitor (or, criminal) to easily tag the structure on feet.
10. Loads upon loads of shattered windows line many of the common areas and bunk rooms. Glass shards can be found in just about every nook and cranny throughout the building.
11. Dangerous amounts of abandoned paint cans scattered throughout utility rooms and varying floors are a chemical compound disaster just waiting to happen.
12. At the time, the entire city (which comprised of mostly all military members) was said to live under this one single roof. Here are the remains of the office/reception area where residents would have a communal meeting place to relay information to other neighbors and colleagues.
13. With broken windows and countless leaks throughout the building, it's no surprise that moss covers many areas of the floors and walls throughout the multiple stories.
Located in south-central Alaska, Whittier sees it's fair share of harsh winter weather patterns. The close proximity to the ocean brings in a tremendous amount of snow, wind and rain sporadically throughout the year, which then blasts its way into this old abandoned military building.
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14. Although we understand that it's since been removed, there once stood an abandoned car outside of the building that was spray-painted with the word 'LOVE' on the side. A tragically beautiful representation of what used to be.
Because of this, the building does not just have barred off windows in today's day and age. It is actually now completely gated off making it so that intrigued visitors can no longer get inside to snap photos and explore the haunting paranormal activity that is rumored to exist here.
To learn more about the isolated town of Whittier, check out this article on the town that was just named the weirdest in America. Also, we double-dog dare you to take this road trip through Alaska’s most abandoned places. For more great articles and incredible video footage from Alaska, be sure to check us out online HERE.
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