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(#12) Whittier Was Once Hit By The Largest Earthquake In US History
On March 28, 1964, a 9.2-magnitude earthquake hit Alaska. Known as the Good Friday Earthquake, it is the single biggest seismic event in United States history. It spawned a 43-foot tsunami that killed 13 Whittier residents. The quake caused extensive destruction throughout the town, with a final tally of around $10 million worth of damage.
As if the 22 feet of snow weren't evidence enough, this is proof that Whitter residents are tough folk from hearty stock; they're survivors.
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(#2) Some Residents Haven't Left Begich Towers In Years
With all you could need under one roof, some residents haven't felt the urge to leave Begich Towers in weeks or, in some cases, years. Commenting on life in Whittier, teacher Erika Thompson said, "Some people love it because it can be really social, and some people love it because it can be reclusive.
For me it's just home. For the most part, you know everybody. It's a community under one roof. We have everything we need."
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(#11) Whittier Is The Wettest City In America
Don't go to Whittier expecting sun and clear blue skies. Most of the time, it's either raining or snowing, making it the single wettest city in the United States. For approximately six months of the year, it snows every day; the other six months, it rains daily. Whittier gets around 22 feet of snow every year.
That's 1,000 times the national average. Oh, and 60 mile-per-hour winds are also common so blizzards are pretty much a fact of life when you live in Whittier.
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(#7) There's A Church In The Basement
Begich Towers isn't just home, work, and community to Whittier residents; it is also a spiritual haven. There is a church in the basement of the building. The Whittier Christian Community Church offers twice-weekly services, and you never even have to step outside. There is also a Samoan church that shares the same space.
The Malamalama Fou, or New Light Church, provides Samoan language services in the tiny Alaska town.
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(#3) If You Need To Enter Or Leave Whittier After Hours, You're Out Of Luck
The Whittier tunnel is not open around the clock. If you try to use the tunnel after 11:00 at night or before 5:30 in the morning, you'll likely find it closed. People who missed the cutoff are often spotted sleeping in their cars at either end of the tunnel. There is, incidentally, always someone on duty should an emergency vehicle need to get through.
The average driver, however, has to wait until normal operating hours.
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(#13) Whittier Is Named After A Glacier, Which Was Named After A Poet
The town of Whittier remained undeveloped until World War II. Before that, the area was actually named after a glacier that sat in the waters that currently surround the town. The glacier was named after a poet, John Greenleaf Whittier, who was famous for his themes of antislavery.
Whittier was actually an active abolitionist who wrote for numerous trades including newspapers and magazines. He was devoted to fixing issues of social injustice, and he even formed the antislavery Liberty party in 1840.
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The extremely high altitude of Alaska is permeated with snow and ice all year round, and there is a special small town, its name is Whittier. It is called the weirdest town in the world, because all the local people live in the same exact building, and the residents put almost all the necessary facilities into the building with unique space design, including supermarkets, hospitals, playgrounds, schools, etc.
Although it is only a building, this building has all the functions that a small town should have. It is not easy to build such a huge building. If you want to learn more about Whittier, you can check the generator that shows random 14 facts.
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