1959 Map of Gulkana

About this map

Tyone Village and the high-altitude lake systems of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough anchor this landscape during a period of expanding interior infrastructure. The intersection of the Richardson Highway and Glenn Highway at Glennallen marks a critical junction for travel between the Copper River basin and the Alaska Range. This 1950s-era survey captures the region just as federal land designations began to shift, showing the corridor before the full establishment of the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve. The map details a complex hydrologic network, from the Tangle Lakes in the north to the glacial outflows of the Mount Drum and Mount Sanford massifs. Historic lodges and roadhouses like Sinona Lodge and Sourdough appear alongside modern additions like Pump Station 11, illustrating the transition from early trail routes to modern industrial transport.