Gilmore

Alaska's ghost towns are the most extreme on the continent — total commitment, total abandonment, everything preserved by the cold.

The Gilmore Building, also known as the Gilmore Hotel, is a historic commercial building at 326 Front Street in Ketchikan, Alaska. It is a three-story masonry building located adjacent to Ketchikan City Hall, and was built in 1926–27 by P. J. Gilmore, Sr. to meet growing demand in the growing community for retail space and hotel rooms. The build is in the shape of a reversed L, whose base lies along Front Street, and includes three commercial storefronts. The upper floors are populated with hotel rooms. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

The on-the-ground condition of Gilmore is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Gilmore is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Gilmore is roughly 55.3422, -131.6478 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.