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1952 Map of Kateel River A-3

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Kateel River A-3
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1992
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1992

About this map

The Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge dominates this subarctic landscape, preserving a complex network of wetlands and boreal forest as it appeared in the early 1950s. The meandering Koyukuk River carves through the southwestern quadrant, its shifting path creating a maze of oxbows and secondary channels like the Natlaratlen Slough. This region, characterized by low-lying swamplands and scattered lakes such as Louis Lake and Bucket Lake, reveals the intricate hydrological patterns of the interior.

Evidence of human presence is sparse but significant for researchers of the era, marked only by isolated structures labeled as Cabin and Cabins near the riverbanks. The label Nikolai appears along a bend in the river, likely denoting a traditional site or geographic landmark. The 1952 aerial photography used for this map captures the wilderness before any significant modern infrastructure reached this part of the Yukon-Koyukuk region, showing a landscape defined entirely by water and seasonal change.