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1965 Map of Middleton Island

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Middleton Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

Middleton Island and the isolated maritime reaches of the Gulf of Alaska define this mid-1960s aeronautical and topographic survey. Compiled from aerial photography and earlier pilot handbooks, the map details the critical navigational landmarks of the outer coast, including Cape St Elias on the southern tip of Kayak Island. The terrain is characterized by submerged hazards and rugged rocky outcroppings like Pinnacle Rock and Southeast Rock, which stand as sentinels near the entrance to the Chugach National Forest.

Maritime safety is a central theme, as indicated by the mapping of Wessels Reef, Fountain Rock, and Sea Ranger Reef. This document captures the remote character of these offshore islands and reefs before modern satellite navigation, showing the precise relationship between the small settlement on Middleton Island and the surrounding Pacific Ocean. It serves as a record of the shifting coastal environment and the strategic importance of these outposts for Alaskan aviation and seafaring.