1954 Map of Baird Inlet D-7

About this map

Nelson Island and the surrounding coastal waters dominate this mid-century topographic study of the Alaska coastline. The landscape is characterized by the intricate waterways of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, where the broad Baird Inlet meets the mainland. On the island's southern reaches, the small settlement of Chakchak sits near the mouth of Chakchak Creek, providing a rare point of human habitation in this delta environment. The northern portion of the map is a complex network of thousands of small lakes and ponds typical of the wet tundra, bounded by the Ninglick River. This 1954 annotation, later updated with modern refuge boundaries, captures the isolation of the Bering Sea coast before significant modern development, emphasizing the natural drainages and the traditional location of indigenous coastal sites.