1954 Map of Marshall A-4

About this map

Puk Palik Lake dominates the southern landscape of this mid-century topographic survey, serving as a massive hydraulic anchor for a complex network of thousands of smaller tundra ponds and unnamed water bodies. This part of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region shows the intricate, winding course of the Kaviknek R as it cuts through the northwest corner of the quadrangle. Mapped using photogrammetric methods from aerial photographs taken in 1951 and 1952, the map documents a transition period where land lines were predetermined by the Bureau of Land Management but remained largely unsurveyed and unmarked on the ground. The sheer density of these seasonal and permanent water features illustrates the challenging geography of the Alaskan wilderness before extensive modern development, providing a clear record of the natural drainage patterns and landforms that defined the area during the 1950s.