July 18, Drove to the town of Whittier today, known as the Gateway to Prince William Sound. The only way into town is by train, ferry or by car, which you must go through a 2.6 mile tunnel, which is shared by the train, it is a one way tunnel. Once you are in town it has a big harbor, shops and restaurants, we had fish & chips, halibut fish, and homemade clam chowder, which was all great. There are two campgrounds, one right after you come through the tunnel and another in town. Whittier was created by the U.S. Army during WWII as a parts and petroleum delivery center tied to bases farther north by the Alaska Railroad and later a pipeline. The town became a primary debarkation point for cargo, troops and dependents of the Alaska Command. Construction of the huge buildings that dominate Whittier began in 1948, and the Port of Whittier, strategically valuable for its ice-free deep-water port, remained activated until 1960, at which time the population was 1,200. The city of Whittier was incorporated in 1969, since military and government activities ceased, the economy of Whittier rests largely on the fishing industry, the port and increasingly on tourism. You can see different glaciers all around you, the town sits in a valley, great little town to see and enjoy. We sat for quite a while just watching people and the boats going in and out, and a ferry boat that docked. When it was time to leave, we had to wait about 30 minutes before being able to go back through tunnel, had a great day.
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