Loading map...

1956 Map of Fairbanks

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Fairbanks
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Fairbanks and the surrounding Tanana Valley serve as the focal point of this regional mid-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by its strategic military importance and northern transportation corridors. The city is flanked by extensive installations, including Fort Wainwright Military Reservation and Eielson AFB, while the Clear Missile Early Warning Station stands as a Cold War landmark to the southwest. The University of Alaska anchors College just west of the city center.

Industrial and natural lines intersect where The Alaska Railroad follows the valley toward Nenana, a town positioned at the confluence of the Tanana River and Nenana River. Away from the rail line, the map documents the complex water networks of Swanneck Slough and Minto Lakes, as well as the gold-rich drainage of Goldstream Valley. Settlements like Anderson, Salcha, and the nascent North Pole trace the paths of the Richardson Highway and Steese Highway.