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1954 Map of Bethel C-8

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Bethel C-8
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Kuskokwim River delta life in the mid-1950s is defined by its complex web of waterways and seasonal transport routes. This survey highlights the riverside settlements of Napakiak and Oscarville, positioned along the major river bends and secondary channels like Tupuknuk Slough. Beyond the primary riverbanks, the landscape dissolves into a dense mosaic of tundra ponds and larger water bodies such as Eek Lake.

A network of seasonal paths, including a Winter Trail, indicates the reliance on frozen conditions for overland travel between coastal and inland areas. Notable landmarks such as Graveyard Point and Willie Peter provide specific points of reference for local historians and genealogists studying the lower Kuskokwim region during this era of field annotation by the Army Map Service. The map effectively captures the precarious balance between land and water in a region dominated by vast Tidal Flats.