TikTok user @messy.nessy went viral on TikTok last week when she explained her unusual living situation. She is a resident of Whittier, Alaska, where the majority of the town lives in the same building: Begich Towers.
The town is located sixty miles southeast of Anchorage, so fairly out of the way. With a population of over 300, the building doesn’t need to be too big to house them all. Yet, Begich Towers has fourteen storeys.
The building, which looks like a hotel, houses 80% of Whittier’s population. Formerly, it was an army barracks, which explains its size. Contained within Begich Towers is a health clinic, a police station, and a convenience store. Oh, and a bunch of flats.
The TikTok likely went viral due to the uniqueness of this living situation. The original video currently has 15 million views and over 3 million likes. The first explains what it’s like to live in such an unusual place. Following videos (of which there are many on her account) explain different parts of her living situation: from how it has been affected by covid-19, to the price of food within the towers. She has also uploaded video tours of the building.
Some might be wondering what there is to do in a town where everyone lives in the same place. She explained this too. Evidently, Whittier is a great place to live in the summer, where outdoors pursuits like kayaking, hiking and jet-skiing are popular. In the winter, less so. Luckily, @messy.nessy’s best friend only lives a storey above her.
For more unique living spaces, why not read about this house in the Swiss Alps which is causing problems for birds?
