1951 Map of Nabesna

About this map

The Tetlin Indian Reservation occupies the center of this reconnaissance study, where the high peaks of the Mentasta Mountains and Nutzotin Mountains meet the vast drainage of the Nabesna River. In the early 1950s, this region was a critical junction of mountain passes and nascent aviation infrastructure, featuring remote strips like Reeve Field and Northway Landing Field. The landscape is dominated by the massive Nabesna Glacier flowing from the Wrangell Mountains, while early settlements and mining sites such as Nabesna and Gold Hill are documented near the headwaters. Evidence of early land management and transportation is visible in the corridor of the Alaska Highway and the boundary line between the Third Judicial Division and Fourth Judicial Division. This sheet captures a transitional era when traditional native settlements like Mentasta Village and Nabesna Village coexisted with the expanding reach of federal surveys and the post-war aviation network.