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1952 Map of Cape Mendenhall D-4

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Cape Mendenhall D-4
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Nunivak Island is revealed in this early 1950s study as a seasonal landscape defined by its indigenous coastal activity. This portion of the Nunivak National Wildlife Refuge showcases a string of seasonal settlements along the southern shore, including Mechakamiut, Chikungamiut, and Duchikmiut. These camps are situated where the tundra meets the Bering Sea, often positioned near the mouths of freshwater sources like the Binajoakamiut River or along the tidal flats of Duchikthluk Bay.

The terrain is marked by distinctive volcanic and coastal features, from the inland Ibikwit Lava Bed and Karon Lake to the shifting Bangookbit Dunes. At the southern extremity, Cape Mendenhall stands near the prominent Ingrijoak Hill, overlooking a coastline of sand beaches and mudflats. The survey, based on aerial photography from the Army Map Service, documents a way of life tied to the seasonal cycles of the island's waterways and the resource-rich shoreline.