Situated in the Southcentral Region of Alaska along the shores of Virgin Bay, Ellamar embodies all the rugged beauty Alaska is known for. This once-thriving mining community now sits mostly empty, save for a few committed residents. Ellamar, or what’s left of it, sits at the base of Ellamar Mountain on the shores of Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska.
Ellamar’s history is rooted in prosperity. In 1897, two prospectors set foot on an outcropping of high-grade copper on the secluded shoreline of Virgin Bay. They immediately staked a claim and the rest is history. Within ten years of this original discovery, a bustling community began to establish itself around the copper mine.
At its peak, the mine employed more than one hundred men, and the community consisted of housing for the workers and their families, a general store, several churches, and many saloons. However, by 1912, the copper production at the mine had slowed, causing the mine to shut down, while families began to abandon the community they called home.
Today, Ellamar is typically only sought out by visitors hoping to enjoy the Alaskan wilderness and explore Prince William Sound. When you soar into the jet charter airport in Ellamar, you’ll land at a seaplane base in the Gulf of Mexico. From there, you can begin your Alaska adventure by foot or boat. You can fish, explore the abandoned mining remnants, take a hike through the ancient boreal rain forest, and more.
