1955 Map of Kantishna River C-4

About this map

The Cosna River serpentines through the eastern portion of this mid-century topographic study, defining the drainage patterns of this interior Alaska wilderness. Compiled from 1952 aerial photography and 1955 photogrammetric methods, the map focuses on the complex elevations of the Yukon-Koyukuk region before the development of modern infrastructure. The landscape is dominated by high points used for geodetic surveying, specifically VABM Tan 2486 in the northwest and VABM Zitz 1441 in the southeast. These vertical angle bench marks served as critical reference points for the U.S. Geological Survey during the systematic mapping of the Alaska-Fourth Judicial Division. The contour intervals illustrate a highly varied topography of ridges and low-lying wetlands, typical of the interior river systems during the post-war era of Alaskan territorial mapping.