1954 Map of Gulkana D-2

About this map

The Chistochina River and its major tributaries dominate this subarctic landscape during the mid-1950s, revealing a wilderness defined by its watercourses and seasonal routes. The confluence of the Middle Fork and East Fork with the main river channel creates a complex network of braided streams and alluvial plains. Human presence is sparse and utilitarian, represented by a singular Mine and a network of Winter Trails that provide essential overland access across the frozen terrain when the marshes and waterways are impassable. To the west, Sinona Lake and Sinona Creek drain through a series of wetland basins, while the northeast corner is marked by the presence of Monkomen Lake. This map captures a moment before significant modern development, where the Bureau of Land Management used aerial photography to predetermine land lines across the unsurveyed interior of the Copper River and Fairbanks meridians.