1950 Map of Anchorage D-6

About this map

High-altitude mining and rugged glacial topography dominate this 1950s-era study of the Alaska interior. The southern portion of the map is defined by a dense concentration of hard-rock prospects and active workings, including the Mabel Mine, Snowbird Mine, and Fern Mine, all accessed via the winding Fern Mine Road. These sites, alongside the Rae-Wallace Mine and Lonesome Mine, point to an era of intense mineral exploration in the Talkeetna Mountains. The landscape is carved by steep drainages like Archangel Creek and Fishhook Creek, which feed into the Little Susitna River near the Little Susitna Roadhouse. To the north, the terrain becomes increasingly dominated by ice and rock, featuring the Mint Glacier below Montana Peak. The wide valley of the Kashwitna River cuts across the upper reaches, illustrating the primary drainage patterns that shaped travel and access in this part of the Matanuska-Susitna region before widespread modern infrastructure.