1950 Map of Kotzebue C-5

About this map

The Arctic Ocean and the Chukchi Sea dominate the northern half of this mid-century survey, meeting a shoreline of complex hydrologic patterns. The coastal plain is a mosaic of thermokarst lakes and intricate wetlands, drained by the meandering Kitluk River in the west and the Espenberg River to the east. Navigation and surveying markers provide the only fixed points of reference in this dynamic landscape, including the Northwest Corner Light situated near the mouth of the Kitluk. Triangulation stations such as Kitluk VABM 81 and Omen VABM 62 suggest the early efforts of the Army Corps of Engineers to establish precise control in this remote coastal environment. The mapping, based on aerial photography from 1949 and 1950, captures the natural drainage systems of the Seward Peninsula before significant modern alterations.