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1951 Map of Black

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Black
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Black River delta meets the Bering Sea in this 1951 survey of a remote coastal landscape in the Second Judicial Division. The map reveals a complex network of waterways and shifting coastal features, dominated by the expansive Norton Sound and a labyrinth of tidal channels including the Nurukomarot Channel, Kwikluak Channel, and Acharon Channel. Small indigenous settlements like Black, Waklarok, and Kwikak are situated along the interior sloughs and riverbanks, indicating a reliance on the seasonal rhythms of the delta.

The presence of survey benchmarks like VABM 13 Mud and isolated Cabin markers reflects early efforts to document this watery frontier. Geologists and local historians can trace the intricate braiding of the Melatolik Creek and the various passes, such as Kwemeluk Pass and Kiongoak Pass, that define the transition from the mainland to the sea, alongside landforms like the Sand Islands and Krekatok Island.