McCarthy and Kennecott

Kennecott was a copper mining and milling town in the Wrangell Mountains of Alaska, near the community of McCarthy. From 1911 to 1938 nearly $200 million worth of copper was processed there, and the site is now the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark within Wrangell–St. Elias National Park.[1]

The mines

Two prospectors found the deposit in 1900, and J. P. Morgan and Guggenheim interests formed the Kennecott Mines Company, named for a nearby glacier. The ore averaged as much as 85 percent copper, against about 10 percent for typical copper ore. At its peak about 300 people worked in the mill town and 200 to 300 in the mines. The company built a 200-mile railroad from the mines to the nearest seaports between 1905 and 1911.[1]

Closure

High-grade ore was running out by the late 1920s, and falling profits and rising railroad repair costs led to closure by 1938. The company shifted to other mines in North America and Chile.[1]

Preservation

Kennecott was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. The National Park Service acquired significant buildings and about 2,800 acres in June 1998; the landmark district covers about 7,700 acres of public and private land.[1]

FAQs

What was Kennecott? A copper mining and milling town operating from 1911 to 1938.

Why did Kennecott close? High-grade ore ran out and costs rose; it closed by 1938.

Who manages the site? The National Park Service manages much of the landmark within Wrangell–St. Elias National Park.

Sources

1. National Park Service: Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 12, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue