1956 Map of Iditarod C-1

About this map

The Takotna River winds through the northwestern corner of this 1950s interior Alaska landscape, defining a remote terrain of low-lying wetlands and forested ridges. This survey illustrates a wilderness devoid of mapped roads or trails, emphasizing the primary role of natural watercourses like Beaver Creek and the Black River for navigation and orientation. High points are identified by triangulation stations, including VABM La 1447 and VABM Black 1516, which provide precise elevation data in a territory still largely unmapped by ground-level field checking at the time of publication. The lack of settlements or permanent structures highlights the isolation of this portion of the Yukon-Koyukuk region during the mid-century era, as surveying efforts relied heavily on aerial photography and photogrammetric methods to document the complex drainage patterns and relief.