35 Mysterious Abandoned Places Around the World You Can Still Visit

24. Kennecott, Alaska, USA: A Copper Mining Empire Abandoned

High in the remote Wrangell Mountains of Alaska lies Kennecott, a once-bustling mining town that rose from wilderness to industrial powerhouse seemingly overnight. Established in the early 1900s after the discovery of incredibly high-grade copper ore, Kennecott Mining Company quickly developed an entire infrastructure—including a mill, powerhouse, hospital, bunkhouses, and even tennis courts—to accommodate its workforce and facilitate round-the-clock operations. The copper extracted here was shipped by rail to Cordova and eventually fueled much of America’s electrification boom. At its height, the operation employed hundreds of workers and generated millions in profits. But by 1938, the copper had been exhausted, and Kennecott was abruptly abandoned. Remarkably well-preserved due to Alaska’s dry climate and isolation, the ghost town remains a snapshot of early 20th-century ingenuity and industrial ambition. Today, Kennecott is a National Historic Landmark managed by the National Park Service, where visitors can tour the towering red mill building and peer into abandoned homes that still contain original furniture, tools, and memories of a life carved into the mountainside.