I would enjoy a summary of the economy of that building. Obviously almost all goods are imported, but where's the money coming from? Is it a bunch of retirees? People working remotely? People burning their savings?

There are some details here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whittier,_Alaska

it seems like: cruise ships, tourism, port. Former Army base. Not clear if the "petroleum products terminal" and pipeline is still in use.

Lots of fishing and tourism jobs. And they have a year-round port where containers are loaded onto the train to Anchorage.

The road seems have destroyed most of its charms. It was little bit different and unamerican, when there was only train and boat. And with "unamerican" I mean lack of fatties.

Almost all of Alaska feels very "unamerican", but not in the way you describe.

Alaskans are generally immensely friendly, community minded, happy and energetic. They give warm handshakes, look you in the eye and really mean the things they say. They don't say things that are hollow, and most of them know from first hand experience the American Dream is a crock.

Often people say Alaska feels a lot more like Northern Canada than it feels like the lower 48 of the US.

I miss my time there immensely.

(I lived in the Yukon, ~2hours from the border. I've been all over Alaska, have probably crossed the border ~50 times, summer and winter.)

Well this is a big ole romanticized, generalized version of Alaska and Alaskans.

I have been in Alaska a year altogether on various expeditions. Mostly they are like Finns, only semi-sociable, but others have very short temper, in Mediterranean or Russian style, which, combined with liberal gun laws, is little creepy.

Native Indian are somewhat detached from reality and you can expect anything from them. When I was bicycling Alaska Hiway, only those Injuns gave me beer and friendly advice. But one was very angry, I had been camping on "sacred lands".

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4IQqbXJ96xbfIsbrGi88PQ