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1952 Map of Fairbanks B-3

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Fairbanks B-3
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Ladd Air Force Base occupies a significant portion of this interior Alaskan landscape, reflecting the mid-century expansion of military aviation and strategic defense operations. The terrain is dominated by the complex, meandering path of the Wood River, which snakes through the northern and eastern sections of the quadrangle. South of the river, the landscape is designated as a Bombing and Gunnery Range, defined by an approximate military reservation boundary that segments the wilderness for training purposes.

Several prominent watercourses, including Tatlanika Creek, Bonnifield Creek, and Gold King Creek, drain the southern reaches. The Wood River Buttes and the survey point at VABM 971 Wood River Butte West provide rare topographic relief in an area otherwise characterized by low-lying wetlands and river basins. This survey captures a moment when the Tanana Valley's remote reaches were being methodically mapped for military utility.