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1951 Map of Rat Islands

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Rat Islands
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Amchitka Island dominates this mid-century survey of the Rat Islands, showing the archipelago's strategic and natural character during the post-war era. Located within the Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, the map details a landscape where military infrastructure meets the isolated geography of the Bering Sea. The presence of the Military Airport and a Quarry near Constantine Harbor indicates the island's role as a cold-war outpost, while the interior remains defined by the complex topography of Amchitka.

Smaller volcanic landmasses like Little Sitkin Island, Segula Island, and the eponymous Rat Island are mapped with precision, highlighting numerous bays and points such as Chitka Cove and Kirilof Bay. These details serve as a vital record of the islands' coastal contours before several were utilized for nuclear testing later in the century, preserving the 1950s baseline of this remote maritime frontier.