1962 Map of Beechey Point C-4

About this map

Pingok Island and its neighbors form a protective barrier against the open waters of the Beaufort Sea along this northern stretch of the Alaskan coastline. Compiled by the Army Map Service in the late 1950s, the map reveals a landscape defined by water and shifting sediments, where Simpson Lagoon separates the mainland from a chain of barrier islands. These islands, including Bertoncini Island, Bodfish Island, and Cottle Island, are charted with detailed soundings that indicate the shallow depths and underwater topography critical for coastal navigation. The survey reflects the meticulous work of the Corps of Engineers and the Usc&GS, capturing a remote maritime environment at a time when photogrammetric methods were first standardizing the mapping of the Arctic frontier.