Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Alaska Lake and Peninsula Proenneke's Cabin

Proenneke's Cabin

The simple log cabin of a famed loner and naturalist stands preserved as a symbol of the ultimate DIY lifestyle.

Lake and Peninsula, Alaska

Added By
Milo Vella
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Proenneke’s Cabin   National Park Service on Wikipedia
Proenneke’s Cabin   Caitlin Marr on Flickr
Proenneke’s Cabin   Caitlin Marr on Flickr
The man himself.   Osbojos on Flickr
Dick canoeing on upper Twin Lake   Film still from "Alone in the Wilderness"
“Alone in the Wilderness,” the DVD  
Dick and his beautiful “Dutch doors”   Film still from "Alone in the Wilderness"
the cabin’s rustic interior  
Proenneke’s friend, “Babe” Alsworth, a missionary and bush pilot occasionally flew in to bring supplies and company   Film still from "Alone in the Wilderness"
Proenneke documented much of his life and work by means of a 16mm movie camera.   Film still from "Alone in the Wilderness"
Proenneke and his handsome, and nearly-completed cabin   Film still from "Alone in the Wilderness"
The cabin today  
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Proenneke's Cabin is a remarkable homestead built singlehandedly in the Alaskan wilderness by a man whose staggering (and vastly admirable) devotion to self-sufficiency saw him even creating everything right down to his tools.

On May 21, 1968, Richard "Dick" Proenneke arrived at Twin Lakes, Alaska with a few simple hand tools and the intention to build a simple homestead for his retirement. He was a highly skilled craftsman, known for his intelligence, adaptability, and work ethic. Throughout his professional career, he served as a Navy carpenter, diesel mechanic, sheep rancher, heavy equipment operator and repairman, and salmon fisherman. He was forty-nine when he began to build his lake-side home in which he would live self sufficiently until he reached the age of 82.

His modest cabin, now entrusted to the National Parks Service, was built nearly entirely from materials found nearby, and he documented its entire building process with a 16mm movie camera on a tripod. Much of this film has been combined with the text from his daily journals into the well-loved classic, Alone in the Wilderness, about this impressive endeavor.

Dick was also quite a preservationist, conscientious about what he chose to take and use. He indeed left a rich legacy, an inspiration for all of us who share his aspirations:

"To live in a pristine land unchanged by man... To roam a wilderness through which few other men have passed... To chose an idyllic site, cut trees and build a cabin... to be a self-sufficient craftsman, making what is needed from materials available... To be not at odds with the world, but be content with one's own thoughts and company..." - Dick Proenneke

Related Tags

Cabins Nature Architectural Oddities Eccentric Homes Architecture Homes

Community Contributors

Added By

Milo Vella

Edited By

erjeffery, EricGrundhauser

  • erjeffery
  • EricGrundhauser

Published

October 7, 2014

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.alaskaalpineadventures.com/dick-proenneke
Proenneke's Cabin
Foot Trail
Lake and Peninsula, Alaska
United States
60.648538, -153.812884
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Tiny Church

Soldotna, Alaska

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alaska

Alaska

United States

Places 102
Stories 45

Nearby Places

Tiny Church

Soldotna, Alaska

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Alaska

Alaska

United States

Places 102
Stories 45

Related Stories and Lists

The Ultimate Guide to America's National Parks

List

By Atlas Obscura

Related Places

  • Melnik, Bulgaria

    Historic Melnik

    This tiny Bulgarian town offers a stunning location in the mountains and a storied history.

  • The side of the Clingstone House. (wallyg/Flickr)

    Jamestown, Rhode Island

    Clingstone House

    Eco-friendly island mansion.

  • Castel Meur

    Plougrescant, France

    Castel Meur

    A small house sits between two huge rocks, with its back to the sea.

  • Interior of 575 Wandsworth

    London, England

    575 Wandsworth Road

    What started as a way to address damp basement walls turned into a house filled with intricate hand-carved designs.

  • Barbara Hutton’s Japanese palace, in the shadow of the volcano Popocatépetl.

    Jiutepec, Mexico

    Camino Real Sumiya

    The tragic heiress Barbara Woolworth Hutton built her seventh husband this Japanese-inspired palace in Mexico.

  • Areguá, Paraguay

    Castillo Carlota Palmerola

    An unlikely neo-Gothic castle in the Paraguayan countryside.

  • Row of old houses with the narrow Kleine Trippenhuis or “Little Trip House” on Kloveniersburgwal canal.

    Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Kleine Trippenhuis

    One of Amsterdam's narrowest houses is located right across the canal from its widest.

  • The Casa Auto.

    Pergamino, Argentina

    Casa Auto

    A father built this one-of-a-kind house in the shape of his son's race car.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.