Life in Glacier City
Prior to the earthquake, Girdwood (then known to many as Glacier City) sat close to the coast, serving as a railroad camp, gold mining supply post, and home to early valley homesteaders who lived in log cabins and simple frame homes.
The Subsidence Flood
When the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake struck, the land subsided by nearly 2 meters. High tides flooded the homes, stores, and rail yard with saltwater, leaving the buildings uninhabitable and prompting a complete evacuation.
Moving the Town Inland
With support from federal agencies, the community selected a new townsite 2.5 miles inland along the glacier-fed valleys, closer to Mount Alyeska. Old building foundations can still be spotted in the coastal marshes at low tide.