1950 Map of Gulkana C-4

About this map

The confluence of the Gulkana River and its West Fork Gulkana River dominates this interior Alaskan landscape, which was mapped from 1949 aerial photography. The Richardson Highway runs along the eastern edge of the sheet, providing the primary land route through the Copper River Meridian region. The settlement of Sourdough serves as the focal point for human activity in this area, situated near the mouth of Sourdough Creek. A public Campground near the river reflects the early development of recreational access along the highway corridor. Away from the road, the terrain is characterized by a complex network of wetlands and small water bodies, including Fish Lake, Middle Lake, and Boulder Lake, many of which were still unsurveyed by the Bureau of Land Management at the time of this study. This era of mapping reveals the landscape just before more intensive modern development altered the remote wilderness character of the Gulkana basin.