1960 Map of Nabesna C-4

About this map

The Indian Reservation and its varied water systems dominate this 1960 survey of interior Alaska. The Nabesna River flows through the southeastern quadrant, while the Tetlin River winds across the northern landscape near Bean Lake. This map captures a remote frontier wilderness defined by its lack of permanent infrastructure, relying instead on a Pack Trail and a Tractor Trail for passage across the rugged landscape. A solitary Cabin near the Nabesna banks provides a rare indicator of human habitation in a region primarily shaped by glacial drainages like the Chestina River, Totschunda Creek, and the aptly named Platinum Creek. The survey reflects a moment when vast tracts of the Copper River Meridian remained unsurveyed and unmarked on the ground, existing as a network of waterways and seasonal routes.