From McCarthy, it is 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to Kennecott, and shuttles are available. Kennecott, Alaska is a ghost town frozen in time. The town was founded around 1900 when copper ore was discovered in the area. They hired Michael J. Heney, who had previously built the White Pass & Yukon Railroad. Kennecott was a self-contained company town that included a hospital, general store, school, skating rink, tennis court, recreation hall, and dairy. Offer subject to change without notice. Gorgeous cave resemble a winter wonderland. The denser ore was separated from the less dense waste via Hancock jigs and shaker tables. Kennecott was a booming copper mining site located in the Valdez-Cardova Census Area in Alaska, in the US. Warner and "Dan" L. Kain. By John Misachi on October 25 2017 in Travel. In 1900, the two prospectors Clarence L. Warner and Jack Smith where traveling through Alaska and they noticed a green […] Well north of Vancouver, and far above Glacier Bay National Park, sits what was once Alaska's - and the world's - most prodigious copper mines. [3] It is located beside the Kennicott Glacier, northeast of Valdez, inside Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. On McCarthy Road continue to the end at Kennicott River. Old Railway Bridge Leading to Kennicott Ghost Town, Kennicott Ghost Town, Hospital and Workers Quarters, Kennicott Ghost Town, Conveyor leading to the back of the Concentration Mill, Kennicott Ghost Town, Inside the Concentration Mill, Kennicott Ghost Town, View to the Concentration Mill, Bridge into Kennicott. "Kennecott Mine" redirects here. To learn more or withdraw consent, please visit our cookie policy. The old mining town of Kennicott in the US state of Alaska is located on the south slopes of Wrangell mountain close to the Kennicott Glacier, about five miles up from the small town of McCarthy. For the mine in Utah, see, The 14-storey Kennicott Concentration Mill (to the right), the mines are 5 miles up in the mountains to the east/northeast. A number of the buildings from that era are still in use and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Â. You’ll find: Massive old mining buildings that look out over a glacier-carved valley. Portions of the road may be subject to washouts after heavy rains. Still, this ghost town has an interesting and totally spooky history. In 1911 the first shipment of ore by train transpired. To get to Kennicott, you must park your car, walk across the bridge with your bags.Coming from Edgerton Highway through Chitina, the pavement ends at the Copper River. It grew quickly into a major town, with a school, a hospital, a saloon, and a brothel. The next hurdle was to transport the copper ore from the mines to the coastal town of Cordova, where it would be shipped to Tacoma, Washington, by the Alaska Steamship Company for smelting. "[6]:260[7]:74 The Kennecott operations reported gross revenues above $200 million and a net profit greater than $100 million. I visited Gilman, which is a ghost town in Eagle County, Colorado at an elevation of 8,950 feet. [6]:53–55[7], Stephen Birch, a mining engineer just out of school, was in Alaska looking for investment opportunities in minerals. Most people spend a minimum of two days exploring the McCarthy/Kennicott area. From 1939 until the mid-1950s, Kennecott was deserted except for a family of three who served as the watchmen until about 1952. Jerome, Arizona. There are numerous adventure services available, such as flight seeing around the Wrangell Mountain Range, rafting, mountaineering, and guided historic and wilderness tours. However, the town of Kennecott was never repopulated. Lower-grade ore was further crushed, sized and sorted. Kennicott Glacier Lodge is a family owned lodge featuring gracious hospitality, breathtaking Alaska scenery, and access to lots of outdoor activities. The area was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986 and the National Park Service acquired much of the land within the Kennecott Mill Town in 1998. This original copper find became the basis of the Nikolai Mine in 1900. The green turned out to be malachite, located with chalcocite (aka "copper glance"), and the location of the Bonanza claim. The tailings left over after gravity separation were further treated via ammonia leaching, for the coarse material, or via froth flotation for the fine material. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders. Birch spent the winter of 1901-1902 acquiring the "McClellan group's interests" for the Alaska Copper Company of Birch, Havemeyer, Ralph and Schultz, later to become the Alaska Copper and Coal Company. Carry at least one spare tire and an adequate car jack. Geologic map of the Kennecott and Bonanza Mine area. Hashima Island, Japan, hit its peak population in 1959, but now it's completely … Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). The mining village of Kennecott was built on the side of the Kennicott Glacier in the early 20th century. Note the aerial tramways and haulage tunnels. In 1925 a Kennecott geologist predicted that the end of the high-grade ore bodies was in sight. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Kennecott … If you’re looking to venture out to see the old ghost mines, getting out to the abandoned track will not be easy, as most any other place in Alaska. Gilman is located on the side of a mountain and was created in the 1880s and operated until 1984. Today, Kennicott is a virtual ghost town and along with McCarthy has a year-round population of just a couple of dozen people. Located deep in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, what remains of the towns offers visitors a taste of Alaska’s historic mining era. Copper extraction was a many step process in an attempt to be as efficient as possible. Residents involved in the tourism industry often lived in nearby McCarthy or on private land in the surrounding area. Today, in McCarthy, you can wander around to explore the old buildings like the Powerhouse or enjoy time at the McCarthy-Kennicott Historical … [6]:57,71–73, Political battles over the mining and subsequent railroad were fought in the office of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt between conservationists and those having a financial interest in the copper. From McCarthy, it is 4.5 miles to Kennicott. Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark marker for the geologic outcrop, Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark marker for the ore body, Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark marker for the mine shafts. The last train left Kennecott on November 10, 1938, leaving it a ghost town. www.dcranephoto.com, Two buildings in the former mining town of Kennicott in the Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness, Alaska. Visitors may also hike to the abandoned Bonanza, Jumbo and Erie mines, all of which are strenuous full-day hikes, with Erie Mine being a somewhat terrifying scramble along cliffs overlooking the Stairway Icefall. The eerie ruins of an isolated abandoned town nicknamed "the Widowmaker" for its deadly gold mine. Simultaneously, placer gold was discovered on the Dan and Young Creeks. The capital was to be used for constructing a railway, a steamship line, and development of the mines. Abandoned in 1938 the Kennecott Mines are now a National Historic Landmark with it's abundance of historic buildings. Continue across the bridge to the gravel "McCarthy Road". In 1986, it became a National Historic Landmark and it is also known as AHRS Site No. Author: Tom Kizzia. In 1916, the peak year for production, the mines produced copper ore valued at $32.4 million. 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Jerome is one of the many ghost towns that owes its existence … Since the middle of the 1950s the place has been completely deserted. [6]:88[7]:42, The Alaska Syndicate's traded its Wrangell Mountains Mines assets for shares in the Kennecott Copper Corporation, a "new public company" formed on 29 April 1915. There were businesses, shops, a train connection, and a lot of life. The road follows the route of the previous CRNW Railroad, starting in the town of Chitina and ending a 1/2 mile before McCarthy. The railroad discontinued service that same year. Kennecott first reported on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. Steven Birch, a min… Then in 1938 the town was abruptly abandoned by its citizens, leaving most of their possessions behind. Glacier, which is really an ore extension of the Bonanza, was an open-pit mine and was only mined during the summer. The camp and mines are now a National Historic Landmark District administered by the National Park Service. The site was center of activity of 5 copper mines. In any case it was named after the Kennicott glacier that is still in front of the Ghost (Mill) Town of Kennecott. No purchase necessary. Local guide services offer all of these hikes if one would like some route-finding assistance. In Nov. 1906, the Alaska Syndicate bought a 40 percent interest in the Bonanza Mine from the Alaska Copper and Coal Company and a 46.2 percent interest in the railroad plans of John Rosene's Northwestern Commercial Company. Ore arrived at the mill via aerial tramways, where the high-grade portion (60-60% copper) was crushed and placed in a chute to carry it directly to the bottom to be placed in burlap sacks. See. www.dcranephoto.com, Kennicott Ghost Town, Old stairs to the Concentration Mill, Xaasaa Cheege Ts'eniin (Upward Sun River Mouth Child). In the late 1960s, an attempt was made to reprocess the tailings and to transport the ore in aircraft. The mill was mainly built between 1909 and 1923. In 1900, a pair of prospectors hiking near Alaska’s Kennicott glacier discovered an outcrop of copper ore on a mountainside about 100 miles inland from Valdez. From Kennecott the ore was hauled mostly in 140-pound sacks on steel flat cars to Cordova, 196 rail miles away on the Copper River and Northwestern Railway (CRNW). Please click below to consent to the use of this technology while browsing our site. [6]:35,55–56,59,73, By 1905, Birch had successfully defended the legal challenges to his property and he began the search for capital to develop the area. In the summer of 1900, two prospectors, "Tarantula" Jack Smith and Clarence L. Warner, a group of prospectors associated with the McClellan party, spotted "a green patch far above them in an improbable location for a grass-green meadow." The first section of Kennecott mines to close was the Glacier Mine which shut in 1929. Almost simultaneously, another USGS geologist named Arthur Spencer, came across the ore when mapping the area with Frank Schrader. Camping is allowed near the end of the road. A few structures were destroyed, but the job was never finished and most of the town was left standing. It … We are the only lodge in the historic town of Kennicott, Alaska and most of the activities in the area begin right across the street from us. Not easy to get to as the last part of the road involves … Kennecott Mines: An Alaskan Ghost Town. The Erie mine was perched on the northwest end of Bonanza Ridge overlooking Root Glacier about 3.7 mi (6.0 km) up a glacial trail from Kennecott. Alaska News Amid the ruins of the Kennecott mine, a quiet new look at Alaska’s past . of silver per ton."[6]:135[7]:44,66–67. Kennecott, Alaska. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Kennecott is an abandoned mine in Alaska that was founded in 1911 and then abandoned … A footbridge to McCarthy is available there. A mine fire has been burning under the deserted town since 1962, but this church is still going strong. ... 3 Kennecott, Alaska. This was then sacked for shipment. It appeared again in 1930 and 1940, and after its abandonment, it has not reported separately since. Permanent exhibit reminds visitors of the Exxon Valdez. All rights reserved. The Bonanza, Jumbo, Mother Lode and Erie mines were connected by tunnels. [5]:12,75–77[6]:53–55, Besides placer deposits, copper is found as polymetallic replacement deposits in the fault planes, fractures and joints of the Triassic Nikolai greenstone, which consists of basaltic lava flows, and in the base of the Upper Triassic Chitistone limestone. Kennecott Mines: An Alaskan Ghost Town 7/01/2020. Kennecott, also known as Kennicott and Kennecott Mines, is an abandoned mining camp in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska that was the center of activity for several copper mines. It is situated beside the Kennecott glacier, … Kennicott can only be reached by foot or the available shuttles.Remember, services are limited once you begin your journey along the McCarthy Road In wet weather the road often becomes muddy and slippery. Gold was found on Chititu Creek in April 1902 by Frank Kernan and Charles Koppus. The cost of doing so made the idea unprofitable. These fines were mixed with water, oil, and buffering chemicals, before air was bubbled through the solution. Kennecott, Alaska. A few days later, Arthur Coe Spencer, U.S. Geological Survey geologist independently found chalcocite at the same location. Map of the Chitina River valley. Ore was hoisted to Kennecott via the trams which head-ended at Bonanza and Jumbo. Elias National Park and Preserve, National Register of Historic Places listings in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska, "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Kennecott Mines", Kennecott Copper Corporation, West Bunkhouse, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Concentration Mill, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Leaching Plant, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Machine Shop, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Company Store & Warehouse, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Recreation Hall, Kennecott Copper Corporation, Old School Building, Kennecott Copper Corporation, New School Building, Kennecott Copper Corporation, NPS Interpretation Building, National Trust for Historic Preservation article and photo essay the old Kennecott mill town, Wrangell–St. Native copper can also be found in the greenstone.[5]:77. © 2020 Atlas Obscura. An auroral research program that superheats the ionosphere. Lodging is available at McCarthy and Kennicott. In the ghost town of Kennecott, Alaska, visitors have reported vanishing tombstones and hearing long-dead miners' voices. But this abandoned Kennicott Copper Mine in McCarthy is said to be so haunted that they even offer Ghost Town Walking Tours to visitors from all over the world. A similar transaction followed with the CR&NW railway and the Alaska Steamship Company. The flotation plant was built in 1923 to process the "fines", which were less than 0.3 cm in size. Copper ore was discovered in a lode on Chief Nikolai's house at the mouth of Dan Creek in July 1899. Bonanza and Jumbo were on Bonanza Ridge about 3 mi (4.8 km) from Kennecott. XMC-001. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. The geological formations in the area were described and identified by a USGS geologist by the name of Oscar Rohn in 1899. Birch was the managing partner for the Alaska operation. Also pictured - foreground (left to right): power plant, machine shop, flotation plant, ammonia leaching plant (world's first); in the trees to the right - general manager's office (log cabin portion was first building built in Kennicott). Reservations are recommended. Winner will be selected at random on 01/01/2021. The town Kennicott in Alaska was once flourishing, full of workers who came to the town in search of wealth and work in the mines. Kennecott is an enormous, historic copper mine near McCarthy. After copper was discovered in the area in 1900, a group of wealthy investors formed the Kennicott Copper Corporation (named when a clerical worker misspelled Kennicott) to mine the incredibly rich veins in the jagged mountains above the Kennicott and Root Glaciers. [8], In 1938, Ernest Gruening proposed Kennecott be preserved as a National Park. The Bonanza ore body was discovered in Aug. 1900 by Warner and Smith. This off-the-beaten-path abandoned town is a relic of Montana's silver mining boom. By the 1930’s, most of the ore was gone, and Kennicott and McCarthy became ghost towns. The Mother Lode was next, closing at the end of July 1938. He confirmed the Bonanza was, at the time, the richest known concentration of copper in the world. Here there is parking and campsites available.Across the walking bridge about 3/4 mile away is McCarthy--a now reoccupied ghost town which is historically connected with Kennecott.Rides to the Kennecott … The mining town of Kennecott, Alaska was abandoned in 1938. When the Kennecott Copper Corporation abruptly abandoned the town in 1938 they left behind their equipment, their buildings, and their personal belongings. This haunting place was booming until the 1940's when the price of copper dropped it became a ghost town. Kennecott is an abandoned copper mining camp in Alaska which is situated in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area. Though not really close, the nearest town of McCarthy had, in 2010, 28 residents. At 238 feet above the bottom of a gorge this span is known as the biggest thrill on the road to McCarthy. The McCarthy Road ends at the Kennicott River and a footbridge is available for pedestrian traffic to McCarthy. Some have since been returned and are held in various archives. Kennecott Alaska Ghost town. From 1909 until 1938, except when it closed temporarily in 1932, Kennecott mines "produced over 4.6 million tons of ore that contained 1.183 billion pounds of copper mainly from three ore bodies: Bonanza, Jumbo and Mother Lode. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. The green turned out to be malachite, located with chalcocite (aka "copper glance"), and the location of the Bonanza claim. By 1938, the copper deposits were mostly gone, and the mine was shut down, and the town was abandoned. The final three, Erie, Jumbo and Bonanza, closed that September. The town and glacier are spelled Kennicott but the mines and company are spelled Kennecott.) Kennicott Ghost Town National Park Service, Alaska Kennicott Ghost Town Neal Herbert (CC BY 2.0) Kennicott Ghost Town, Concentration Mill … Initial ore shipments contained "72 percent copper and 18 oz. Located within the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, this historic site tells a story of discovery, perseverance, and ingenuity at a time when America was … A few days later, Arthur Coe Spencer, U.S. Geolo… Kennecott Historic Mill. Today, both are laid-back towns that offer history, scenery, and a taste of old Alaska. Visitors and nearby residents have stripped many of the small items and artifacts. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Copper ore attached to the air bubbles, and floated to the top, where it was skimmed off, dried and sacked. If you want to see a really neat ghost town this is for you. Chalcocite and covellite were sent directly to the smelting plant in Tacoma. The highest grades of ore were largely depleted by the early 1930s. U.S. National Register of Historic Places, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, List of National Historic Landmarks in Alaska, National Register of Historic Places listings in Wrangell–St. Ghosts from the old territorial days are all around the last frontier. Unlike Kennicott, however, McCarthy has always had a few hardy souls who have made it their home. Soon, several mines were developed, and a small base camp grew into a mill town dominated by enormous processing buildings. The greatest concentration of paranormal activity in Alaska has said to be reported in … ... Another attraction is a tour to the old mines and original mills in this ghost town … In the 1980s, Kennecott became a popular tourist destination, as people came to see the old mines and buildings. Soft shoulders have led to numerous accidents and vehicle damage. In the Kennicott mines it was not gold that people were digging for, like in so many other places, but copper. Malachite, azurite, and other forms of copper within the limestone needed separation in the 14-story mill building before shipment. After copper was discovered in the area in 1900, a group of wealthy investors formed the Kennecott Copper Corporation (named when a clerical worker misspelled Kennicott) to mine the incredibly rich veins in the … Alaska’s most famous ghost town, Kennicott is an old mining village that retains Gold Rush relics, while McCarthy is a sister village, 5 miles away. [2][4], In the summer of 1900, two prospectors, "Tarantula" Jack Smith and Clarence L. Warner,[5] a group of prospectors associated with the McClellan party, spotted "a green patch far above them in an improbable location for a grass-green meadow." The Kennecott Mines and mill town are an abandoned copper mine operation and ghost town in Alaska that together, form a National Historic Landmark District. Before completion, the steamship Chittyna carried ore to the Abercrombie landing by Miles Glacier. The McCarthy Road ends at the footbridge that crosses the Kennicott River, approximately 5 miles from the town of Kennicott. Five miles from where the road ends is the Kennecott Mines National … This town was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986 and is an abandoned mining camp that had a number of copper mines operating here. Most of these services shut down for the winter. There are no sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Kusilvak Census Area. Minerals include chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite, with associated malachite, azurite and cuprite. The ammonia-copper solution was heated to drive off the ammonia, which left behind a copper oxide containing 75% copper. "x" depicts a copper prospect while "+" depicts a gold placer. J.P. Morgan and several other wealthy families collaborated to form the Alaska Syndicate and capitalize on this rich mineral source. Elias National Park and Preserve. Kennecott had five mines: Bonanza, Jumbo, Mother Lode, Erie and Glacier. A "clerical error" resulted in the substitution of an "e" for the "i", supposedly by Stephen Birch himself.[6]. In the 27 years the mine was in full operation, the company made more than $100 million, and a company town grew around the mines. Partly because alcoholic beverages and sex work were forbidden in Kennicott, a nearby village, McCarthy, grew as an area to provide illicit services not available in the company town. When the mine closed in 1938, McCarthy, like Kennicott, became a ghost town. In 1901, the Dan Creek was staked by C.L. While McCarthy has a year-round population of about two dozen people, Kennicott is totally deserted. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. The Wrangell Mountain Center offers accredited courses in wilderness studies. The ammonia leaching plant was built in 1915, where ammonia liquefied the copper but kept the limestone in solid form. The Glacier Mine closed in 1929. There are several eating establishments and a bar. It took Heney and his crews 4 years of tireless labor in temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero to build the rail bed and bridges through the regions rough terrain. Then take the railroad grade (which is upgraded to 2WD use--trailors not recommended) 58 miles east to the Kennicott River. Popular tourist activities while visiting Kennecott include glacier hiking, ice climbing, and touring the abandoned mill. Containing the McCarthy Road and the towns of McCarthy and Kennecott, this area is where history comes alive. Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark marker for the mill town, Kennecott-based tour groups now lead visitors on guided tours of the fourteen story concentration mill, Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark mine tramway ore car. The town around the mine built up quickly and life here never seemed better. That's certainly the case with Kennecott Mine and Ghost Town in Alaska. It's now a historic landmark preserved by experts, but the eerie vibe remains in this empty mining town. They agreed with the 1938 conclusion, "no copper resource of a size and grade sufficient to interest KCC remained." Discovery of copper in this area is what led to the establishment of Kennecott town. Going To This Abandoned Alaska Ghost Town … Though this was not to last as is the case with all of these old mines, and during the mid 1920's the end of the main bulk of the ore was in sight. See some of the most charismatic creatures that roam Alaska's rugged landscapes alongside an expert bear biologist. Elias National Park and Preserve, History of the National Register of Historic Places, National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kennecott,_Alaska&oldid=965678237, Geography of Valdez–Cordova Census Area, Alaska, Protected areas of Valdez–Cordova Census Area, Alaska, Tourist attractions in Valdez–Cordova Census Area, Alaska, Populated places on the National Register of Historic Places in Alaska, Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Alaska, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, East of Kennicott Glacier, about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north of, This page was last edited on 2 July 2020, at 19:15. He had the financial backing of the Havemeyer Family, and another investor named James Ralph, from his days in New York. Okay - some say Kennicott, others Kennycott and still others Kennecott. ... A view of the abandoned buildings of Kennecott Mines, inside Alaska's Wrangell–St. In the summer of 1901, he visited the property and "spent months mapping and sampling." "ng" is the Nikolai greenstone formation, "Trc" is the Chitistone limestone formation, while "Qrg" are rock glaciers. There are very few haunted places that have as many spirits deterring resettlement as the abandoned ghost towns and railways of the Kennecott … Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Use code WONDER20 for 20% off all online experiences! KCC sent a field party under the geologist Les Moon in 1955. It is now within the McCarthy CDP. However, their stories of discovery, perseverance, and ingenuity live on! Today, Kennicott is a ghost town and McCarthy has a year-round population of just a couple of dozen people. Kennecott, Alaska A one-time copper mining town, Kennecott is set against the dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains in Wrangell- St. Elias National Park and Reserve. However, 2 Dec. 1980 saw the establishment of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.[6]:261–262,321. On 28 June 1906, he entered into "an amalgamation" with the Daniel Guggenheim and J.P. Morgan & Co., known as the Alaska Syndicate, eventually securing over $30 million. Boston, Ohio is a ghost town that has been completely shut down to tourists and is actually not one that people are allowed to visit. By the late 1920s, the supply of high-grade ore was diminishing, and Kennecott Copper Corporation was diversifying into other North American and Chilean mines. Atlas Obscura and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our website to personalise ads, support social media features, and analyse our traffic. Topographic map showing the location of the Erie, Jumbo, Mother Lode, Bonanza and Glacier Mines in relation to Kennecott. Around the same time, the company with land rights ordered the destruction of the town to rid them of liability for potential accidents. [6]:75,212–213, Kennecott Mines was named after the Kennicott Glacier in the valley below. Kennecott or Kennicott (also known as Kennecott Mines) is a former mining camp, now completely abandoned, situated in the Valdez-Cordova Cenzus Area in Alaska, United States of America. Kennecott is now accessible by air (McCarthy has a 3,500 foot (1,100 m) meter gravel runway) or by driving on the Edgerton Highway to the McCarthy Road, an unimproved gravel road. A recommendation to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 18 Jan. 1940 for the establishment of the Kennecott National Monument went nowhere. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Aug 18, 2017 - Discover Kennicott Ghost Town in Chitina, Alaska: What once was the richest known copper mine is now a completely deserted ghost town. The Mother Lode mine was located on the east side of the ridge from Kennecott. The geologist Oscar Rohn named the glacier after Robert Kennicott during the 1899 US Army Abercrombie Survey. The mill remains however.[6]:7. Ghost Towns of America: Kennecott, Alaska. This abandoned nitrate town was repurposed as a dictator's prison.