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1951 Map of Cape Mendenhall

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

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

Nunivak Island emerges from the Bering Sea in this 1951 provisional compilation, documenting the remote southern coastline of the Nunivak National Wildlife Refuge. The map serves as a critical record of the region's indigenous geography during the mid-century, specifically highlighting the settlements of Kwigamiut and Ingeramiut near the southern point of Cape Mendenhall. These coastal outposts represent the human presence in a landscape defined by its interaction with the Etolin Strait and the vast subarctic waters.

Compiled using trimetrogon photography from the early 1940s, the chart delineates the Refuge Boundary and the jurisdictional transition between the Second and Fourth Judicial Divisions. The placement of features like Cape Corwin relative to the interior drainage patterns provides a rare look at the island's topography before more modern high-order surveys were conducted. This document is a foundational piece for understanding the mid-century settlement patterns and maritime boundaries of this Alaskan wilderness.