1956 Map of Beaver B-3

About this map

The Yukon River and the abandoned site of Purgatory define this stretch of the Alaskan interior during the mid-1950s. The landscape is a complex network of wetlands and thousands of small ponds, particularly concentrated south of Hermit Ridge and Little Dome. Notable water bodies like Roaring Bear Lake, John Barleycorn Lakes, and Dr Cook Lake dot the lowlands between the Sand Hills and the winding Hodzana River. The presence of the Marten Island in the Yukon suggests a shifting river channel, while landmarks like VABM Purgatory provide reference points for early aerial surveys. This map captures a remote subarctic environment before significant modern intervention, where drainage patterns like Meadow Creek and Owl Creek dictate the local geography.