1950 Map of Nome D-4

About this map

Cape Douglas marks the prominent coastal point on this 1950s map of the Seward Peninsula, where the land meets the vast expanse of the Bering Sea. The landscape is characterized by a coastal plain etched with drainage patterns like Peluk Creek and Spruce Creek, which flow toward the shoreline. A significant historical detail is the Winter Trail, shown in its approximate alignment as it traverses the terrain toward the northwest. This route represents the critical overland transport networks used during the mid-century era in Alaska, often following the most practical paths through the coastal lowlands when the ground was frozen. The map reflects a moment when photogrammetric methods were first being used to document this remote coastline, providing a record of the shoreline and hydrology before significant modern environmental changes.