1956 Map of Black River D-4

About this map

Porcupine River carves a deep path through the northern landscape of this interior Alaska survey, where the water flows through the dramatic Lower Ramparts. This 1956 topography, updated in the mid-1980s, documents the sprawling wetlands of the Yukon Flats within the vast boundaries of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The map reveals a wild, unpopulated territory where geography is defined by high elevations like Negrohead Mountain and Frozen Calf Mountain. To the northeast, Rat Creek drains toward the main river channel, winding through a complex network of small lakes and ponds that dominate the central flats. The lack of roads or settlements emphasizes the remote nature of this wilderness at the time of the survey, serving as a primary record of the drainage patterns and peaks that define this subarctic environment.