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1956 Map of Black River C-6

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Black River C-6
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Black River meanders in dense, complex oxbows through this interior Alaskan wilderness, defining the landscape around the settlement of Chalkyitsik. Mapped from aerial photography in the mid-1950s, the terrain is a labyrinth of water and marsh, characterized by numerous named bodies such as Chahalie Lake, Big Timber Lake, and the expansive Ohtig Lake. The presence of an Airstrip near Chalkyitsik Slough and a north-south Tractor Trail highlights the remote nature of transportation in this region, where the river and seasonal overland routes were the primary means of movement.

Evidence of local habitation is sparse but significant, with a Cabin located near Red Bluff along the eastern edge of the quadrangle. Other features like Fishhook Creek and Small-Timber Lake suggest a landscape used for subsistence and seasonal travel. This survey captures a moment in the Yukon-Koyukuk region before significant modern development, documenting the traditional spatial relationship between the village, the river, and the surrounding lake systems.