1948 Map of Sitka B-5

About this map

Baranof Island and the surrounding Alexander Archipelago waters define this maritime landscape in the late 1940s. The map captures a complex network of waterways essential for coastal navigation and resource access, including the treacherous Sergius Narrows and the sheltered Haley Anchorage. Large-scale topographic detail reveals the dense coastal forests of the Tongass National Forest and the steep elevation changes rising directly from the tidewater. Evidence of human presence is sparse but specific, marked by remote outposts like Highwater Cabin and unnamed Cabins at the head of Nakwasina Passage. The separation of Chichagof Island from the mainland by the Peril Strait highlights the isolation and nautical dependence of these settlements. For those researching Alaskana, the map provides precise locations for historically named points, bays, and narrows such as Kakul Narrows and St John Baptist Bay before significant modern development.