1954 Map of Kateel River D-6

About this map

The Tagagawik River meanders through this interior Alaska wilderness, serving as the primary geographical feature of a landscape largely defined by its water systems and elevation contours. Flowing from the south and curving westward, the river is joined by the winding course of Derby Creek, which cuts through the central terrain. This 1954 survey provides a record of a remote region where land lines remained largely unsurveyed and unmarked, as noted by the Bureau of Land Management. The map is bisected by the Principal Meridian, a critical baseline for the rectangular survey system in the Kateel River Meridian area. The absence of named settlements or roads underscores the wilderness character of the territory during the mid-1950s, focusing instead on the intricate drainage patterns and the relief of the surrounding hills as captured through early photogrammetric methods.