1950 Map of Kotzebue A-2

About this map

Deering sits at the base of Cape Deceit on the southern shores of Kotzebue Sound, serving as a vital coastal outpost at the mouth of the Inmachuk River. This 1950s-era topography, based on aerial photography from 1949 and 1950, documents the interface between the tidal waters of Kugruk Lagoon and the surrounding tundra. The village layout is oriented toward the sea, supported by a nearby Landing Strip and several survey markers including VABM Deering. The landscape is characterized by complex hydrology, with Smith Creek and numerous unnamed ponds and lakes threading through the low-lying terrain west of the main settlement. Points of interest like Toavlevic Pt define the jagged coastline, illustrating the remote geography of the Seward Peninsula's northern edge before later modern developments.