1955 Map of Beechey Point A-3

About this map

Deadhorse serves as the focal point of this arctic industrial landscape, captured during a pivotal era of infrastructure development on the North Slope. The map highlights the braided path of the Sagavanirktok River and its Main Channel, which dominate the eastern half of the sheet with a complex network of gravel bars and shifting watercourses. To the west, the Putuligayuk River meanders through a terrain densely pockmarked by thermokarst lakes and marshy lowlands. The 1975 revisions, shown in purple, document the transformative arrival of The Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the expansion of the Deadhorse Airfield. These additions signify the transition from a remote wilderness to a critical hub for energy extraction, further evidenced by the presence of isolated Oil Wells scattered across the tundra. This survey provides a baseline of the pre-pipeline environment alongside the sudden emergence of the modern oil-support infrastructure.