1952 Map of Fairbanks C-2

About this map

The interior Alaskan wilderness near Fairbanks was largely defined by Cold War-era military operations at the start of the 1950s. This survey, based on 1949 aerial photography, highlights the massive footprint of the Ladd Air Force Base and its associated Bombing and Gunnery Range, which dominate the central and southern portions of the landscape. The terrain is characterized by a complex network of waterways, including the winding Salchaket Slough in the north and several drainages such as Clear Creek and Willow Creek that thread through the lowlands. A significant overland route, the Bonnifield Trail, cuts through the range, passing just east of the prominent Clear Creek Butte. This intersection of military utility and traditional wilderness travel routes illustrates the dual nature of Alaska's mid-century development, where strategic defense requirements frequently overlaid the natural topography of the Tanana Valley.