National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Park & Preserve
U.S. Department of the Interior
Kennecott
Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
The Kennecott Story
Photo courtesy of G. Bleakley, Copper Center, Alaska
The Kennecott mines and mill town tell a story of discovery, perseverance and
ingenuity at a time when America was hungry for copper to build railroads, elec -
trify cities and supply munitions to the WWI effort. Kennecott helped meet
America’s copper challenge and in the process transformed itself from this tiny
mountain mining enclave into a large transnational minerals corporation.
“Mr. Birch, I’ve got a mountain of copper up there. There’s so much of
the stuff sticking out of the ground that it looks like a green sheep pasture
in Ireland when the sun is shining at its best.”
~ prospector Jack Smith to Stephen Birch, 1900
In the summer of 1900, prospectors Clarence Warner and “Tara n -
tula” Jack Smith were exploring the east edge of the Kennicott
Glacier. As they drew closer to the limestone-greenstone contact,
along which US Geological Survey geologist Oscar Rohn had
predicted copper would be found, they were amazed by the
magnificent green cliffs of exposed copper. Samples from their
discovery, the “Bonanza Mine Outcrop,” revealed up to 70% pure
chalcocite, one of the richest copper deposits ever found.
Mining engineer Stephen Birch, in Alaska to look for investment
opportunities for the wealthy Havemayer family, began buying up
shares of the Bonanza claim. However, without a way to transport
the copper to market, it was worthless. Some said building a railroad
from the coast, across mountains, powerful rivers and moving
glaciers would be impossible. Others offered a glimmer of hope. The
Havemayers collaborated with J.P. Morgan and the Guggenheim
family, forming the Alaska Syndicate, to build a railroad and develop
the mines. In the fall of 1907 the Alaska Syndicate hired Michael J.
Heney, builder of the White Pass & Yukon Railroad. For the next
four years his crews worked relentlessly, building rail bed and
bridges through difficult terrain at temperatures down to 40 degrees
below zero. At the same time, Stephen Birch was in Kennecott
developing the mining claims. By hauling an entire steamship, piece
by piece, over the mountains from Valdez to be reassembled on the
Copper River, he was able to bring equipment in by dog sled, horse
and steamship to begin mining ore even before the railroad was
finished. The first train left Kennecott in 1911 just ten days after the
railroad was completed, filled with $250,000 worth of copper.
Kennecott was a place of long hours and hard, dangerous work. At
the height of operation, about six hundred men worked in the mines
and mill town. Paying salaries higher than those found in the lower-
48, Kennecott was able to attract men willing to live and work in this
remote Alaskan mining camp. Miners often worked seven days a
week, coming down only for the rare holiday or to leave Kennecott.
Mill workers and miners came to Kennecott only to work, living in
bunkhouses with little time off, often sending money home to their
families around the world. Despite the dangers and grueling work,
the Kennecott workers mined and concentrated at least $200 million
worth of ore.
Reaping profits fueled by America’s high demand for copper,
Kennecott Copper Corporation invested in mines in Chile and the
lower-48. By the time the Kennecott mines closed in 1938 the
corporation had grown into one of the largest minerals companies in
the world, due to the perseverance and ingenuity of its founders,
investors and workers.
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Social Life
While Kennecott was primarily a place of work, ensuring a thriving community
social life was good for the company’s profit margin, leading to stronger employee
retention and lower training and transportation costs. To the people who lived in
Kennecott, it was home. They talk of their “Kennecott family” and tell stories of a
strong community making its own traditions and entertainment. In many ways
Kennecott’s isolation contributed to the strength of the community, rewriting
societal rules to value inclusiveness and mutual support. Yet, there is also evi-
dence that Kennecott’s isolation was not strong enough to keep out greater
American struggles such as racial and ethnic discrimination. Nevertheless,
Kennecott left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of those who called it
home.
Kennecott Kids at the ice rink.
Movies and Dances!
Movie and dance nights in the Recreation Hall were a time of
relaxation and social gathering. Held frequently, these social
gatherings provided a welcome respite from the grueling work day
and long, dark nights of winter. Kennecott residents remember
them fondly.
“We had a movie twice a week, Sundays and Wednesdays. And I got to
take the tickets, if you took tickets, you got in free, otherwise you had to
pay 10 cents. This was fine when I was a little girl, but when I came bac
up there and was 17 and one of the young men asked me to go to the
show with him. The ticket salesman, said, “Oh, is Mildred with you, wel
she always pays 10 cents.” I was so embarrassed, I was grown up you
know... the adult fare was 35 cents.” ~Mildred Erickson Reis,
Kennecott Kid, 1916-1927
“They had the community dances down in the community hall a lot. In
fact, it was almost every Saturday. Everybody came and the children
Band perform
ing for a 1937 Ball.
came and danced and then afterwards they had coffee and cake. I can
always remember all those delicious cakes that the women brought.”
~Inger Jensen Ricci, Kennecott Kid & Employee, 1915-1938
Christmas Eve Children’s Program
Christmas was a time of community and family celebration. Christmas
Day was one of only two days a year that the mines and mill closed down
and all employees were off. The celebration began Christmas Eve, with
the annual children’s Christmas program in the Recreation Hall. Many
Kennecott Kids have shared their memories of the festivities:
“Well the stage was only put up at Christmas time, for the school children’s
program, and every child in school had a part in it. And I was shy and it
scared me to death. I always had a part in a play and they always had me
sing. So I had to get up there on the stage all alone and sing. I would look out
at my father, he always had a twinkle in his eye…”
~Mildred Erickson Reis, Kennecott Kid, 1916-1927
“...Christmas program. There’d be a tree. And Santa Claus would come. And
every kid... we all got wonderful gifts. An’ I did the highland fling, I remember,
on the stage. Ahh!” ~Patty Hussey Berg, Kennecott Kid, 1928-1931
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Recreation H
all decorated for C
hristm
as.
1
4
Performers in
B
lackface in
t
he
R
ecreation
H
all.
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4th of July Celebration
Women’s race in
M
cCar
thy.
The annual 4th of July festivities in McCarthy represented a rare day of
McCarthy-Kennecott joint celebration. One of only two days a year
that Kennecott closed, everyone, from miners to mill workers, manag -
ers to children, headed down the hill for a visit to McCarthy. Contest,
including separate races for men, women, and children, were held in
downtown McCarthy. With the Kennecott Copper Corporation
sponsoring a $200 prize, the annual baseball game between Kennecott
and McCarthy was so important that the McCarthy team is known to
have imported a pitcher from the lower-48. Filled with ice cream, a day
of fun, and for some, McCarthy’s famous prohibition moonshine,
Kennecott employees headed back up the hill for another six months of
work until the mines shut down for Christmas Day.
you’re Danish or Norwegian, Norwegian or Swedish. We felt that there
was...” ~Yvonne Konnerup Lahti, Kennecott Kid, 1925 -1931
George Flowers
Many families sought to
take short vacations away
from Kennecott to
explore the surrounding countryside. Visiting George
Flowers became
a
favorite for many of them. A man with a tenacious spirit, he became a
lifelong friend of the Kennecott Kids, who still tell stories of his guitar
playing and fishing lessons. A share-cropper turned gold-rusher from
the American South, Mr. Flowers arrived in Seattle only to be denied
passage to Alaska on the steamship because he was black. Not one to be
deterred, he walked to
Alaska, arriving
long after the gold rush
had ended.
By
the mid-t wenties, he settled at Long
Lake
where he
fished, trapped
and may have worked as track -walker for
the railroad. After the mines
closed he corresponded with former Kennecott Kids who sent him the
rare care package of Alaskan necessities.
“...we went to Long Lake and lived in a little cabin and fished in the (creek).
[George Flowers] cooked fish like no one else. He put it all in the frying pan
and cooked it and then turned it all over like it was one big fish cake. It was
marvelous, you could eat the whole thing.” ~Deborah Vickery House, George Flowers and
Kennecott Kid, 1918-1931 6 Kennecott friends.
Societal Struggles in Kennecott
Kennecott was not isolated from the struggles of the greater American
society. A Klu Klux Klan (KKK) minstrel show was even advertised and
hosted in the Recreation Hall in 1921. The nation’s second KKK was
established in 1915 and promoted the idea that the nation’s economic
struggles were the fault of African Americans, Jews and this country’s
growing wave of immigrants. The Klan’s membership included both
Republicans and Democrats, and its influence spread throughout the
United States. Kennecott may not have had any African American
employees at the time. The steamship line refused passage to African
Americans, clearly limiting their access to Alaska as a whole. Kennecott
did, however, employ a large number of immigrants in the mines. One
can imagine the message that an event associated with the ideals of the
KKK sent to them.
“...we noticed especially there was quite a difference between staff people
and non-staff people. We felt that way... I understand there was (also) a
little bit of discrimination whether you’re Danish or Norwegian. Whether
Lunchroom deep inside the Bonanza M
ine.
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Their Work:
In Their Own Words...
“...essentially those [miners] lived without seeing the outside air from the first
of November to... the end of March. ...and it was cold. From their $4.00 [or]
$5.00 a day, they worked their eight hours and then the company deducted
something like $30.00 a month for board and room. ..they were essentially
captives of the company.”
~William Douglass, Kennecott Kid, 191 5 -1929
“I worked at the top of the mill building, yeah. We had ore buckets com
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Wo r ki n g
o
n
t
he
E
ri
e
M
in
e Tramline.
one every 52 seconds and there were about 750 pounds of ore in each
bucket and you caught it as it came in and practically ran over to the
grizzly and you dumped it down the grizzly. When it was wet, the grea
big mallet there-I don’t know, the thing must have weighed about eight
Working on the Bonanza tramline.
10
Miners inside the Bonanza Mine.
8
“Then I had the good fortune to take a job riding line on the aerial
tramways... Well, that was riding up and down the line watching for
problems that developed in the towers and the saddles and cables. And
keeping all of the gear on the line greased. It was a mean job in the winter
and [a] beautiful job in the summer.”
~Nels Konnerup, Kennecott Kid, 1925 -1931 & Employee, 1934- 1937
pounds- you had to pound the bucket about three or four times becaus
the ore was being held in there towards the bottom. Then you took [the
bucket] over and put it back on the a cable and send it out, [then] you
had to run back and by then another bucket was there. So you did tha
all day long.”
~George Sullivan, bucket chaser, 19
“Very good place at the mill here. They treated us wonderfully well. Bu
the people in the mine didn’t get down here as easy and in the winter th
“There were miners that got what we called ‘miner’s consumption’ [silicosis] was all penned up there. They would come out of the mine and stayed
from time to time and [they’d] ship them down to Arizona. Very often the bunkhouse, it was almost like being in prison.... I know that every
they’d have to take a collection for the fare. spring, why, there would be 50 or 60 of them that quit.”
~Nels Konnerup, Kennecott Kid, 1925 -1931 & Employee, 1934- 1937 ~James Beans, SR, Leeching Plant shift boss, 1925-1927
Our Work:
Stabilizing a Landmark...
In June of 1998, the National Park Service (NPS) acquired many of
the significant buildings and lands of the Kennecott Mines National
Historic Landmark and began the effort to stabilize and restore the
buildings. Through a lengthy public planning process, the future of
each building was determined. Some buildings were found to be in
ruin, too far degraded to be stabilized or restored. Others, such as
the mill, power plant and machine shop, are being stabilized, receiv-
ing new roofs, foundations and other structural stability work. Once
they are stabilized, additional opportunities will be provided for
visitors to enter these buildings to explore the places where the
Kennecott employees worked. A few buildings, such as the store and
post office, which will become a visitor center, will be restored.
Working on the general manager’s office.
Protecting the Past
Artifact survey at one of the portals to the Motherlode Mine.
Current Project
Store and Post Office
Kennecott’s general store and post office was once an active hub
of life in the mill town. Today the National Park Service is
working to stabilize and restore the building for use as a visitor
center. All of the historic artifacts that remained in the building
have been cataloged and curated for future display. The building
is receiving a new roof, foundation and other structural work. It
will be retrofitted with water and electricity. When it opens as a
visitor center it will be a place to explore the stories of Kennecott
and its surrounding landscape through exhibits featuring
artifacts and historic photographs.
Future Visitor Center!
Work beginning on the
Store and Post Office.
NPS Archeologists and historians are working hard to protect the
artifacts and historic stories of Kennecott. Many of Kennecott’s
buildings, such as the bunkhouses up at the mines, will eventually fall
to the ground. These buildings are being thoroughly documented,
photographed and described. Several of the fragile artifacts have
been curated for display in Kennecott’s future visitor center. Arche -
ologists are also working closely with the stabilization crew to ensure
that the historic value of Kennecott is protected. Historians are
reconstructing Kennecott’s story, by exploring buildings, studying
historic documents and interviewing former residents. With the
buildings, artifacts and stories, generations of visitors will be able to
experience Kennecott and its remarkable story.
Completed Project
Recreation Hall
Together the National Park Service and a local non -profit, Friends of
Kennicott have restored, documented and researched the history of
the Recreation Hall. National Park Service crews repaired the
foundation, replaced the roof, repainted the building and con-
structed new outhouses. Friends of Kennicott purchased historic-
style benches and chairs, production equipment for theatrical events
and helped pay for rewiring of the building and other restoration
efforts. National Park Service historians and the McCarthy-
Kennicott Museum have recorded countless stories former
Kennecott Kids have told regarding their experiences in the building.
Today the Recreation Hall hosts educational and community events
and is available for private rental.
Restoring the
Recreation Hall.
Kennecott or Kennicott?
The mining company was named after the Kennicott
Glacier.
However,
it was spelled as Kennecott,
with an “e,”
resulting in spelling
debates
that
continue today. Stephen
Birch, the
compan y’s
founder,
was even known
to have
spelled the
town as Kennycott, with
a
”y.”
Kennecott train depot.
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Removal of artifacts from public land is prohibited.
Artifacts: The Legacy of Life
Artifacts are a testament to lives lived and lost, hopes
realized and shattered and the rich heritage of our nation.
Take nothing from Kennecott but inspiration
for your soul,
questions for your mind and photographs for your
memories.
Historic photo of the Bonanza Mine.
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Photographic Credits:
1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 Kennecott Kids Collection, NPS
4 Candy
Waugaman Collection,
Fairbanks
6, 8 & 13 McCarthy-Kennicott Museum
11 Historical
Collection,
Wrangell-St. Elias NP/P
12 G. Bleakley Collection, Copper Center
Explore Kennecott...
Visitors to Kennecott can explore this historic town, the mining and
milling operation and the lives of the men, women and children who
lived here. You are invited to explore the streets and the outside of
the buildings, join a park ranger for a history talk, view the
Kennecott History Film or explore the insides of the Mill and Power
Plant with a commercial tour. Rangers are available in the
Kennecott Visitor Center to help you plan your visit.
But Be Careful!
Many of the historic buildings in Kennecott are in a state of collapse
and disrepair. Since 1999 the National Park Service has been working
to improve safety at the mill site through architectural stabilization
and lead paint mitigation. At this time many of the doors to the
buildings are locked. Feel free to explore the outside of the buildings,
but remain aware of hazards that still exist.
Watch under foot for sharp or loose objects such as glass, metal
scraps or nails.
Do not attempt to walk on decks or stairs attached to the build-
ings. Many of these areas are unstable.
Lead is present in the paint on the buildings and in paint chips
scattered throughout the site.
Abandoned explosives may be present and in unstable condition at
the mine sites. Never handle dynamite blasting caps, or any
potentially explosive products. Please notify the National Park
Service if you see signs of such explosives.
Due to the multiple hazards, please keep a close eye on children.
Final Reflections from Kennecott:
“Copper Mining is generally safer than coal mining and things like that
but my impression from sixty or seventy years looking back, I can’t
imagine how they could get people to do what they did. A man would
come here and work for ten or fifteen years for a net of $80 per month
and live under those circumstances.”
~Nels Konnerup, Kennecott Kid, 1925 -1931 & employee, 1934- 1937
What a really tremendous place to bring up a family! Surrounded by
nature and love, we children were doubly blessed. The simplicity, the
freedom, and the peace of such an existence is beyond imagination. To live
in Kennecott a lifetime would be paradise! But all good things cannot
remain static, they must change, and so it is that all the wonderful memo-
ries remain and the hard times are forever forgotten.
~Inger Jensen Ricci, Kennecott Kid & secretary, 191 8 -1938
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA!
Kennecott Ice skaters
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