Kennicott

Kennicott may refer to a surname as well as a historic mining district in Alaska. The most well-known use is Kennicott, Alaska, a former copper mining town located near McCarthy in Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The settlement sits on the north bank of the Kennicott River near the mouth of the Kennicott Glacier and grew up around a rich copper ore deposit discovered in the early 1900s. A mining complex—developed by the Kennecott Copper Corporation—included the mine, a mill, a concentrator, and a power plant. The Kennecott mine operated from roughly 1909 until 1938, when ore production ceased and the town’s economic basis collapsed. In 1986, the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark designation recognized the area as a preserved industrial and cultural district within the national park. Today, Kennicott is largely a historic site with many structures in ruins or preserved as museum pieces, rather than a living community. Access is typically via the McCarthy Road from the Richardson Highway, with visitors exploring the site on guided tours or self-guided excursions during the summer months.

The surrounding region is part of Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve, one of the largest protected areas in the United States, and the broader landscape is associated with the UNESCO World Heritage property that includes the nearby Kluane and Glacier Bay components. The Kennicott name also appears as a surname; notable individuals include Robert Kennicott (1835–1866), an American naturalist and explorer whose work contributed to 19th-century science and exploration in North America.

In addition to the town, the area is often linked to the Kennecott Mines Complex, the historic core of the copper operation, which remains a focal point for historical interpretation and tourism.