1954 Map of McGrath B-5

About this map

The Big River winds along the eastern boundary of this Interior Alaska landscape, serving as the primary drainage for a network of tributaries that carve through the Seward Meridian. Topography recorded in the early 1950s reveals a complex system of waterways, including the Selatna River and Tatlawiksuk River, which define the drainage patterns across this roadless expanse. Unlike many contemporary surveys, the land lines here were predetermined by the Bureau of Land Management rather than established by physical marking, reflecting the wilderness character of the region during the mid-twentieth century. The mapping, derived from aerial photographs, emphasizes the extensive swamp systems and low-relief areas that characterize the valleys between these prominent river systems.