Loading map...

1949 Map of Barrow

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Barrow
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Point Barrow and the northernmost reaches of Alaska are captured here just after World War II, based on aerial photography from 1945. The settlement of Barrow serves as the primary hub, situated near the Barrow Airfield and the Will Rogers and Wiley Post Memorial, which commemorates the 1935 aviation tragedy nearby. The landscape is dominated by the intricate network of lakes and lagoons within the Naval Petroleum Reserve No 4, reflecting the era's strategic focus on arctic resource exploration.

Along the coast, a chain of barrier features known as the Plover Islands protects Elson Lagoon, stretching from Nuwuk down toward Cape Simpson. These islands, including Cooper Island and Martin Island, are separated by tidal openings such as Eluitkak Pass and Ekilukruak Entrance. The map provides a detailed record of the shoreline and coastal hydrology before modern developments, documenting the relationship between the Arctic Ocean and the inland waters of Dease Inlet.