1951 Map of Craig C-5

About this map

The coastal intricacies of the Tongass National Forest are captured here as they appeared in the early 1950s. This survey focuses on the maritime landscape of Prince of Wales Island and the surrounding Alexander Archipelago. Small shorefront outposts like Bobs Place mark the infrequent human footprint among a complex network of channels and passages. The map illustrates the region's reliance on water-based travel and subsistence, charting numerous islands such as Heceta Island, Noyes Island, and San Fernando Island. Because this terrain was primarily accessed by sea, the mapping includes significant hydrographic detail and shoreline annotations including Nossuk Bay and the Gulf of Esquibel. This record preserves the location of isolated camps and landmarks in a period when aerial photography was beginning to provide the first comprehensive view of Alaska's rugged panhandle.