Old Valdez Town Site

The feel

Old Valdez sits about four miles outside present-day Valdez, on the waterfront where the original town stood until the 1964 earthquake. The city was relocated after the quake, and the old site is preserved as a memorial and walking tour. Little remains in evidence, but historical plaques, old machinery and dock pilings litter the beach.

The foundation of the 1962 post office is still there and supports a memorial to thirty-two residents of Valdez, four National Guardsmen and Chenega villagers who died on March 27, 1964. Residents stayed in Old Town for three years while a new town site was prepared, and structures not moved to New Valdez were destroyed.

What to expect

What it is

The original Valdez town site, preserved as a memorial and walking tour.

Parking

Parking is at the U.S. Post Office and Earthquake Victims Memorial stop on the walking tour.

Season and access

Easily accessible off the Richardson Highway; look for it on your left as you drive into town. The walking tour begins at the intersection of Alaska Avenue and the Richardson Highway. Groomed all-use winter trails for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmachining are available in winter.

Mingo says

Come in winter if you want to ski or snowshoe the groomed trails across the site. Ask around town, because many long-time residents remember Old Valdez.

Before you go

• Call (907) 835-2984 for information on the site.
• Visit the Old Town Valdez Museum at 436 S. Hazelet Ave. near the ferry dock; it is open by appointment at (907) 835-5407.
• See the 1:20 scale model of Old Town as it appeared just before the 1964 earthquake.
• Museum admission is $15 for adults and includes both sites; youth 18 and under are free.

Written October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.