1950 Map of Shishmaref A-2

About this map

Shishmaref Inlet dominates this coastal landscape on the northern Seward Peninsula, where the Serpentine River and Arctic River empty into the tidal waters. The topography, mapped from aerial photographs taken between 1949 and 1950, reveals a complex network of wetlands and tundra ponds surrounding the Sanaguich River and Bunker Creek. Small clusters of Cabins along the southern shore indicate seasonal subsistence sites or remote outposts in an area otherwise defined by its natural drainage patterns. The prominent Cape Lowenstern marks the northern entrance to the inlet, while a Winter Trail provides a tenuous overland connection across the frozen terrain, reflecting the seasonal nature of travel in this subarctic environment before modern infrastructure.