In 1968, Richard Proenneke built a 12-by-16-foot cabin beside an Alaskan lake by hand; 39 years later without electricity, his wilderness home earned a place on America’s historic register

For thirty years, Richard Proenneke thrived in solitude, constructing his Alaskan cabin entirely by hand with natural resources. Rejecting the comforts of modernity, he enhanced the cabin's roof over time, layering it with moss, dirt, and grass. Additionally, he crafted a raised storage cache and a woodshed-outhouse to meet his needs. His extraordinary achievement has garnered national acclaim as a significant representation of the Alaskan bush lifestyle.