1952 Map of Gulkana C-3

About this map

The Gakona River flows through a landscape defined by an intricate network of lakes and glacial outwash plains in this 1952 study. The western edge of the quadrangle is anchored by the Richardson Highway, a vital corridor for territorial transportation connecting interior Alaska to the coast. Along this route, the presence of the Haggard Road Camp and the settlement of Sourdough highlights the infrastructure required to maintain passage through the Copper River Basin during the mid-century era. The terrain is marked by the prominence of Hogan Hill and numerous watercourses like Sourdough Creek and Tulsona Creek, which feed into the braided channels of the larger river systems. This map captures the region's hydrography and topography just as aerial photogrammetry was refining the precision of northern mapping, documenting the intersection of the Copper River drainage with the early highway system.