1952 Map of Afognak

About this map

Afognak Island and the neighboring Raspberry Island dominate this mid-century survey of the northern Kodiak Archipelago. The map illustrates a maritime-dependent landscape where small coastal settlements like Afognak (Village), Port Wakefield, and Port Vita rely on the surrounding straits for connectivity. On the Alaska Peninsula to the west, the terrain rises sharply toward Mt Douglas and the Fourpeaked Glacier, while the shoreline features the abandoned site of Swikshak. This era of mapping documents the transition of these remote outposts, from the cannery-related activity at Port Vita to the strategic installations like the Shuyak Radio Communication Center. Navigational landmarks such as Cape St Hermogenes and Cape Douglas frame the treacherous Shelikof Strait, a vital corridor between the mainland and the island borough.