1955 Map of Point Lay D-1

About this map

Kasegaluk Lagoon defines the northwestern coastal edge of this remote Arctic landscape, where the tides of the Chukchi Sea meet a complex network of tundra waterways. Inland from the barrier-guarded lagoon, the terrain is dominated by the meandering paths of the Utukok River and the Kokolik River, which wind through a mosaic of wetlands and seasonal drainages. The 1955 aerial photography captures a wilderness largely devoid of permanent settlement, though a solitary Drill Hole in the central interior suggests the early stages of industrial exploration on the North Slope. Smaller drainages like Kugachiak Creek and Tungak Creek further partition the landscape, illustrating the saturated, low-lying character of the region. This survey, later updated in 1985, serves as a record of the area's hydrology and landforms before the further expansion of modern infrastructure in the Alaskan north.