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1952 Map of Seward D-5

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Seward D-5
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Whittier serves as the focal point of industrial and maritime activity at the head of Passage Canal during the early 1950s. This strategic port is connected to the interior via the Alaska Railroad, which pierces the surrounding peaks through a significant tunnel near Portage Pass. The map reveals the infrastructure of the era, including a CAA Station, an Airstrip, and a cluster of tanks near the water's edge, highlighting the town's role as a vital transportation and logistics hub for the region.

Surrounding the settlement is the massive ice of the Chugach Mountains, where the Harriman Glacier, Twentymile Glacier, and Whittier Glacier dominate the high country. To the west, the Placer River and Twentymile River systems drain toward the coast, while Portage Lake sits at the foot of its namesake Portage Glacier. Isolated outposts like Portage Mice and various Cabins suggest a landscape where human presence was largely defined by rail operations and seasonal use.