1952 Map of Ruby A-3

About this map

The Nowitna River snakes through this Interior Alaska landscape, creating an intricate pattern of oxbow lakes, sloughs, and marshy lowlands. Based on aerial photography from 1952, the map illustrates the complex hydrology of this river basin before any significant human development was recorded on the topography. The terrain transitions from these water-logged river bottoms to higher, wooded elevations reaching over 1,000 feet, where numerous unnamed drainage systems feed back into the primary river valley. This document captures the wilderness character of the Alaska-Fourth Judicial Division, preserving the specific historical path and morphology of the river system as it existed in the mid-20th century.