1955 Map of Meade River D-3

About this map

Skull Cliff marks a dramatic transition on this Arctic coastal landscape, where the high ground meets the Chukchi Sea. The interior is defined by a dense network of oriented thaw lakes and meandering drainages, including Kikoligaruk Creek and Niklavik Creek. A notable Oil Seep near the coast points to the underlying geology that would later define the region's industrial focus, while the presence of a Winter Trail and Tractor Trail reflects the vital, season-dependent transportation routes required for moving equipment and supplies across the permafrost. The southern portion of the sheet is dominated by the Inaru River, which winds through a low-lying marshy plain, illustrating the complex hydrology of the North Slope. These topographic details, from the narrow banks of Skull Creek to the broad reach of Tractor Lake, document a landscape primarily accessed for scientific and resource exploration in the mid-1950s.