1956 Map of Charley River D-1

About this map

The United States Canada international boundary marks the eastern edge of this 1950s interior Alaskan landscape, where the terrain is defined by the winding course of the Charley River. This remote subarctic environment exhibits fascinating periglacial geomorphology, specifically the presence of Pingos and individual Pingo formations—ice-cored mounds that rise from the swampy lowlands. These features indicate a landscape of discontinuous permafrost and significant hydrological activity in the valley floors. Waterways like Bull Creek and Midnight Creek drain the surrounding uplands, feeding into the main river system. The map reflects a period of systematic aerial photogrammetric surveying by the Geological Survey, capturing a transition zone where the Alaska Yukon border meets the vast, uninhabited stretches of the Fairbanks Meridian.