1951 Map of Beechey Point

About this map

The Arctic coastline of Alaska's North Slope is documented here during a period of naval interest and reconnaissance, shortly after mid-century surveys. The map traces the intricate network of the Kuparuk River and Sagavanirktok River as they braid across the tundra toward the Beaufort Sea. At this time, Prudhoe Bay was an quiet coastal feature, long before it became the focal point of the state's petroleum industry. The shoreline is defined by a complex of barrier islands and lagoons, including the Jones Islands and Simpson Lagoon. Landforms like Oliktok Point and Beechey Point serve as primary navigational markers in a landscape otherwise dominated by water and shifting silt. This survey, compiled from photography taken during the 1940s, offers a clear record of the natural drainage patterns and island configurations such as the Return Islands and McClure Islands before any industrial footprint was established.