Whittier, Alaska

The town of Whittier, Alaska, is comparable to the Jesus People in a material sense, though not in a spiritual one. This community appears to be more of a required one than one that was intentionally formed like other communes. There are roughly 272 people that live in Whittier, and nearly all of them share a single building. The Begich Tower, a massive pink and white apartment building, effectively houses the entire city.

A laundromat, a store, a post office, a clinic, a church, and even a police station are located in the 14-story structure. There is a school, and an underground tube links it to the structure. Everything else is in the structure, which was a former army barracks, and it is quite difficult to get to. It's simplest to get there via boat. On the Passage Canal, the village is around 60 miles from Anchorage. Route travel is an option as well, however there is only one road that, depending on the weather, includes a tunnel over the mountains and is occasionally one-way. Moreover, it closes at night.

Most locals are aware not to drive in the winter because the town typically receives 20 to 22 feet of snow annually. Residents rarely need to leave the building for any reason because it has all the amenities of a town, and rumors have claimed that some have not gone outside in years.

• Country: USA