While McCarthy has a year-round population of about two dozen people, Kennicott is totally deserted.
Its name is actually a misspelling of Kennecott Copper Corporation.
Photo credit:Michael/Flickr
Kennicott was a typical company town.
Most of the miners lived there in company housing and everything revolved around mining operations.
The miners were not allowed to bring their families, and no gambling and drinking were allowed.
So a new town quickly sprang up where miners could enjoy wine and women.
This new town was McCarthy.
It had saloons, restaurants, hotels, pool halls, stores, and a thriving red light district.
From 1911 to 1938, nearly $200 million worth of copper was processed.
After 27 years of operation, the mines as well as the railroad ceased operation.
Tourism began to develop in the 1970s and by the 80s, Kennicott had become a popular tourist attraction.
The 14-story tall wooden concentration mill is worth seeing.
