1955 Map of Bradfield canal B-4

About this map

Tongass National Forest dominates this mid-century survey of the rugged Alaskan panhandle, where glaciers and steep topography define the landscape at the international border. The drainage systems of the North Fork and East Fork Bradfield River carve through high peaks, including Mt Pounder and Mt Lewis Cass, which sit directly on the boundary between Canada and the United States. The lack of any roads or trails in 1955 emphasizes the isolation of this region during the post-war era. To the northeast, the Blue River flows through deep valleys toward the British Columbia line. This survey, compiled from 1948 aerial photography and field annotated in 1955, represents the topographical state of this wilderness before modern infrastructure reached deep into the coastal range.