1951 Map of Selawik C-6

About this map

The Selawik National Wildlife Refuge dominates the eastern half of this 1951 survey, characterized by a complex network of aquatic pathways within the delta. Waterways such as the Riley Channel, Rich Channel, and Olikatuk Channel weave through the refuge's wetlands, illustrating a landscape defined by seasonal hydrological changes. To the west, the Baldwin Peninsula forms a prominent landmass separating the waters of Hotham Inlet from the broader Kotzebue Sound. The map’s reliance on 1951 aerial photography highlights a period of remote Arctic mapping where physical access was limited, focusing on the fundamental shoreline and drainage patterns. This document preserves the exact coastal and deltaic configuration before later environmental shifts, offering researchers a baseline for the region's geography at the midpoint of the twentieth century.