1955 Map of Beechey Point A-4

About this map

The Kuparuk River winds through this expanse of Alaska’s North Slope, a landscape defined by intricate braided channels and seasonal transport routes. This 1955 survey captures the region just as petroleum exploration began to mark the tundra with early industrial infrastructure, including an Oil Well and a Drill Hole. The presence of the Winter Trail highlights the seasonal nature of Arctic travel, while smaller named points such as Neal, Lou, and Polka serve as critical landmarks in a terrain otherwise dominated by the Putuligayuk River and Sakonowyak River. This map provides a technical view of the North Slope Borough before the full-scale development of the Prudhoe Bay oil fields, documenting the earliest physical interventions in the remote wilderness.