1955 Map of Beechey Point B-3

About this map

Prudhoe Bay and the frozen shoreline of the Beaufort Sea define this landscape during a transformative period of Arctic exploration. While the original 1955 survey captures the raw coastal topography, the 1975 revisions reveal the massive industrial footprint of the oil boom. The map documents the early infrastructure of the North Slope, including the Discovery Well Prudhoe Bay State No 1 and North Prudhoe State 1. A network of pumping stations and the primary Pipeline now cross the tundra, connecting Base Camp and Point Storkersen Camp to the Prudhoe Dock. The braided channels of the Sagavanirktok River and Putuligayuk River wind through a terrain marked by thousands of small lakes and the distinct Prudhoe Mound.