1956 Map of Black River C-6

About this map

Chalkyitsik sits at a strategic bend along the Chalkyitsik Slough, serving as a central point of habitation within the sprawling Yukon Flats in the mid-1950s. This interior landscape is defined by the highly sinuous path of the Black River and the Grass River, which wind through a mosaic of wetlands and named water bodies such as Ohtig Lake and Chahalie Lake. The presence of a Landing Strip and Cem at the settlement, along with a Tractor Trail cutting through the northern reaches, highlights the essential, limited infrastructure required for life and travel in this subarctic environment. To the east, the terrain shifts slightly at Red Bluff, providing a rare named landmark amidst the dense network of oxbows and timber-surrounded lakes like Big Timber Lake and Small Timber Lake.