1950 Map of Kotzebue B-4

About this map

The shoreline of Kotzebue Sound dominates this mid-century topographic record, where the low-lying coastal tundra is defined by a labyrinth of unnamed ponds and marshes. Stretching along the coastline is a critical Winter Trail, providing a clear path of travel through the frozen landscape during the winter months when the watery interior is otherwise impassable. Flowing westward into the sound are Kungealoruk Creek and Kougachuk Creek, which carve distinct drainage patterns through the relatively flat coastal plain. This 1950s study, based on 1949 aerial photography, highlights a period before significant modern development, showing the region as a purely natural environment where movement was dictated by seasonal weather and topography.