1955 Map of Big Delta A-1

About this map

The South Fork Goodpaster River and its major tributaries dominate this mid-century topographic study of the Alaska interior. Relying on aerial photography from 1954 and field annotation from 1955, the map documents a largely unsettled wilderness where hydrology is the primary geographic marker. The complex drainage systems of the Volkmar River and Healy River are captured in fine detail, illustrating the rhythmic interplay of ridges and valleys that define the subarctic landscape. Smaller waterways like Divide Creek and Serpentine Creek feed into these larger river systems, which serve as the historical corridors for movement through this part of the Southeast Fairbanks region. Without roads or permanent settlements recorded, the map emphasizes the raw physical geography of the territory before significant infrastructure development.