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1956 Map of Arctic

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Arctic
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Arctic Village stands as a central point of habitation in this 1950s survey of the northeast Alaska wilderness, situated near the south-central portion of the map. The landscape is defined by the high peaks of the Brooks Range and the Philip Smith Mountains, with the Continental Divide cresting through the northern reaches. This era represents a period before large-scale modernization, where life and movement followed the natural corridors of the Canning River and the Junjik River.

Remote outposts like John Franks Cabins and a dense network of lakes such as Old John Lake, Vettekwil Lake, and Grayling Lake emphasize the subsistence and trapping geography of the region. The map also delineates the extensive Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness, illustrating the early boundaries of one of the nation's most significant conservation areas. High mountain passes like Guilbeau Pass and Carter Pass mark the traditional routes through the terrain, connecting the North Slope drainages to the interior river systems.