1951 Map of Selawik A-6

About this map

Chamisso National Wildlife Refuge anchors the northern waters of this coastal Alaska survey, protecting the rocky outcrops of Chamisso Island and Puffin Island within Chamisso Anchorage. The landscape is dominated by the tidal influence of Eschscholtz Bay and Spafarief Bay, where the shoreline meets the extensive marshlands and drainage of Kiwalik Lagoon. The settlement of Kiwalik sits at the mouth of the lagoon, serving as a remote outpost supported by a nearby airstrip. Inland, the terrain rises toward several peaks, including Church Rock, while a network of waterways like Kirk Creek, Minnehaha Creek, and Duck Creek meander through the tundra. The mapping, based on 1951 aerial photography by the Army Map Service, captures the region's mid-century coastal character before modern infrastructure changed the Arctic maritime landscape.