Katalla, Alaska

Katalla (pronounced KA-tell-ah, sometimes spelled Catalla) is a ghost town in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska, 76 km (47 mi) southeast of Cordova.

Violent storms in the fall of 1907 destroyed the jetty being built and it was decided to move the railroad's terminus to nearby Cordova.

[4] The famous "ship of gold" SS Portland, ran aground and sank at Katalla in November 1910, during one of these autumn storms.

The town's population continued to depend on the small oil field for income until December 25, 1933, when fire damaged its refinery and operations ceased.

Interest waned as the coal reserves did not appear economically viable, and a haul route to Katalla would by necessity have to cross areas subject to slope instability and periodic glacial dam outbursts from Bering Lake.

1917 USGS map depicting Katalla in relation to the rail road and the Bering River Coal Field. A black dot depicts petroleum seepage.
Prospector Tom White, referred to as "The Sourdough Driller" in the writings of Barrett Willoughby , was credited with discovering Katalla's oil fields and drilling the first well. [ 2 ] [ 3 ]
Chugach Census Area map