1950 Map of Kotzebue C-4

About this map

Cape Espenberg marks the northernmost tip of this coastal landscape, where the land fragments into a series of lagoons and sandspits at the entrance to Kotzebue Sound. The survey, based on aerial photography from mid-century, reveals a delicate shoreline interface between the Chukchi Sea and the massive water bodies of the north. This is a purely maritime and wilderness environment, dominated by the hydrology of the Arctic Ocean. The map documents the intricate network of ponds and marshland behind the primary coastal dunes, illustrating the shifting geomorphology of the Seward Peninsula's northern coast in an era before significant modern climatic shifts. There are no roads or trails indicated, emphasizing the reliance on coastal navigation in this subarctic region.