1950 Map of Shishmaref A-4

About this map

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve dominates this coastal survey, where the terrestrial world meets the Arctic Ocean and the Chukchi Sea. The geography is defined by a narrow barrier of land that separates the open sea from the tidal expanse of Shishmaref Lagoon. This environment, mapped from aerial photography taken in 1949 and 1950, reveals a landscape of complex hydrology where Trout Creek and Kugrupaga Inlet feed into the lagoon system. Human presence in this isolated reach of the Seward Peninsula is marked primarily by survival and transport, evidenced by the Sinrazat Shelter Cabin and the AMNWR Winter Trail (Approximate). These features underscore the region's reliance on seasonal routes and temporary shelters in an era before modern infrastructure reached these northern shores.