1956 Map of Tanacross C-3

About this map

Mount Fairplay stands as the dominant topographical anchor of this mid-century sub-arctic interior, its high elevation surrounded by the permafrost-influenced landforms of the Alaska Range foothills. The Taylor Highway provides the primary corridor through this landscape, marking a vital transportation link established in the early 1950s to connect the Yukon River region with the outside world. Lower elevations are characterized by the presence of pingos and numerous cabins that suggest a network of seasonal activity or remote homesteading typical of the era. The Dennison Fork and Cabin Creek drain the terrain, while several segments of Winter Trail indicate the reliance on seasonal transport routes across the frozen ground when the highway became impassable. This survey documents the intersection of modern infrastructure and the traditional subsistence patterns of the Alaskan interior just before statehood.