1955 Map of Beechey Point A-5

About this map

Low-lying arctic tundra and an intricate network of thaw lakes dominate this portion of the North Slope, documented during the mid-1950s. The landscape is defined by the northward flow of the Kuparuk River, which snakes across the eastern edge of the quadrangle. To the west, the Ugnuravik River and Sakonowyak River meander through a region characterized by thousands of small, unnamed water bodies and marshy depressions. Published before the discovery of the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field, the map shows a wilderness devoid of roads or permanent structures, reflecting the state of the Alaskan Arctic as it was known primarily to the Bureau of Land Management and military surveyors of the Army Map Service. The intricate drainage patterns and predetermined land lines provide a primary reference for the region prior to modern industrial development.