1954 Map of Marshall B-2

About this map

The Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge dominates this 1950s survey of the Alaskan interior near Bethel. Mapped primarily through photogrammetric methods using aerial photography from 1951, the landscape is defined by an intricate, fine-grained network of countless small lakes, ponds, and meandering watercourses. This labyrinthine wetland environment reflects the complex hydrology of the delta, where land and water are inextricably linked. The absence of named settlements, roads, or trails during this period highlights the wilderness character of the region, emphasizing a terrain where movement was likely dictated by seasonal water levels and traditional routes not captured by standard topographic conventions of the era. The mapping effort, later updated with federal reservation boundaries from the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, serves as a foundation for understanding the preserved natural state of this subarctic ecosystem.