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1954 Map of Sleetmute C-4

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Sleetmute C-4
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Kuskokwim River serves as the primary artery for travel and trade in this mid-century look at interior Alaska, where the settlement of Sleetmute sits at the confluence with the Holitna River. This specific era captures a small but vital hub of river-based commerce, centered around Mellicks Trading Post and a nearby airstrip. The map illustrates the dependence on natural waterways and land trails, with a Tractor Trail and a simple Trail providing the only terrestrial connections through the dense vegetation.

Evidence of earlier habitation or smaller encampments is scattered along the riverbanks in the form of Ruins and various Cabins. Topographically, the landscape is dominated by the high peaks of Barometer Mountain and Red Mountain, which rise sharply from the river valley. For genealogists and local historians, the inclusion of a Cem and additional Graves near the trading post provides specific points of interest regarding the community's early residents.