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1956 Map of Bettles

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Bettles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Arctic Circle crosses this mid-century landscape of the central Brooks Range foothills, where the Koyukuk River and its tributaries define the pattern of human activity. The settlement of Bettles sits at the confluence of the John River, serving as a hub near Evansville and the Radio Towers at the base of Lookout Mtn. Downstream, the mission and native villages of Allakaket and Alatna are situated across from one another on a bend in the river, reflecting the region's enduring river-based transport network before the dominance of modern roads.

A sparse network of Winter Roads and Winter Trails connects remote outposts such as Henshaw Cabin and Oscars Cabin to the larger river system. To the east, the Jack White Range and Caribou Mountain overlook the Jim River, where industrial traces like the Gold Bench Mine and Ironsides Bar Mine appear along the gold-bearing gravels. The map illustrates a transitional era where traditional seasonal routes and small mining operations still shaped the geography of the Yukon-Koyukuk region.