1955 Map of Harrison Bay

About this map

The Colville River delta dominates this 1955 survey of the Alaskan north coast, where the river's massive braided discharge enters Harrison Bay and the Beaufort Sea. The landscape is a complex mosaic of thaw lakes and winding channels within the Naval Petroleum Reserve No 4, reflecting the unique hydrology of the Arctic coastal plain. While mostly uninhabited, the map identifies Nuiqsut near the river's mouth and the Esook Trading Post (Aban'd) at Cape Halkett, marking the transition from traditional subsistence routes to early petroleum exploration. Navigational landmarks like the Nuiqsut Landing Area and the Kupigruak Channel provide a window into how people moved through this remote delta system before modern infrastructure arrived. Large inland water bodies like Teshekpuk Lake and the Kogru River highlight the drainage patterns that define this permafrost-underlain terrain.