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1952 Map of Gulkana B-3

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

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

The confluence of several major interior Alaskan waterways defines this landscape, where the Gakona River and Gulkana River join the braided channels of the Copper River. In the early 1950s, the small settlements of Gakona and Gulkana served as vital transit points at the junction of the Richardson Highway and the Glenn Highway. This area represents a critical intersection of road and river travel, supported by infrastructure like the local Airstrip and several benchmarked locations that guided travelers through the Copper River Meridian.

Remote outposts such as Poplar Grove and Big Timber dot the highway corridor, illustrating the sparse but strategic distribution of roadhouses and small communities during this era. The terrain is characterized by a high density of small lakes and marshes to the west, while the broad, silty glacial discharge of the Sanford River enters from the east, showing the complex hydrology of the Copper River basin before extensive modern development.