1944 Map of Kenai

About this map

Cook Inlet dominates this mid-century survey, dividing the dramatic volcanic peaks of the west from the developing settlements of the Kenai Peninsula. On the eastern shore, the transition from traditional outposts to modern infrastructure is visible as the Sterling Highway begins to connect communities like Soldotna, Kasilof, and Ninilchik. The map documents a specific moment in the region's geography, noting Salamatof as an abandoned site while highlighting the establishment of the Kenai Moose Range and the Tuxedni National Wildlife Refuge. Across the inlet, the landscape is defined by massive glacial systems including the Red Glacier and the towering Redoubt Volcano. Traces of the local maritime economy appear at the Harbor Cannery near Iliamna Pt, while inland, the complex hydrology of Tustumena Lake and the Kenai River illustrates the importance of these waterways for early transport and subsistence.