1955 Map of Point Lay

About this map

Point Lay serves as the primary outpost on this coastal stretch of the North Slope, situated on a narrow spit between Kasegaluk Lagoon and the Chukchi Sea. The 1955 survey illustrates the isolation of the settlement, supported by a Landing Area and the Point Lay Aerodrome. Inland, the landscape is defined by a network of braided rivers including the Kokolik River, Kukpowruk River, and Utukok River, which flow from the southern Amatusuk Hills toward the coast. A notable Winter Trail parallels the shoreline, providing a vital overland connection through this Arctic environment. For genealogists and local historians, the presence of a Cem near the village and scattered Cabin sites along the coast offers evidence of early twentieth-century habitation and land use patterns before modern infrastructure reached this part of the Arctic coast.