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1954 Map of Ophir

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Ophir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Ophir stands as the primary hub of activity in this 1954 survey of the Alaskan interior, centered on the Innoko River and its gold-bearing tributaries. The map documents a landscape in transition, where several former outposts such as Dementi, Dishkakat, and Rennies Landing are marked as abandoned, indicating the shift in settlement patterns as the early 20th-century mining booms subsided. Despite these departures, industrial traces remain prominent, notably at the Ganes Creek Mine and the Esperanto Placer Mine along the eastern drainages.

The vast network of watercourses, including the Iditarod River and the Dishna River, serves as the defining structural element of the region, punctuated by landmarks like Old Grouchtop and Mt Hurst. A network of winter trails provides a glimpse into the seasonal transportation routes that connected these isolated mining camps and river landings before modern infrastructure. The inclusion of the Kateel River Meridian and topographical features like the Tayuh Mountains provides essential context for the challenging geography of the Yukon-Koyukuk region during this era.