1954 Map of Sleetmute D-2

About this map

Stony River serves as a central waypoint in this 1950s interior landscape, where the confluence with the mighty Kuskokwim River dictates the pattern of human presence. The map documents a sparsely settled region where a Landing Strip and a cluster of Cabins signify the primary infrastructure for travel and shelter. This area, surveyed by the Geological Survey via aerial photography from 1953, reveals a complex network of waterways including the Stony River Cutoff and the meandering Moose Creek to the north. These features illustrate the essential reliance on river navigation and small-craft aviation in the Bethel region before modern development. Notable terrain markers like VABM Kusk 958 provide fixed points for navigation across the wetlands and forested reaches that dominate the quadrangle.