1956 Map of Tanacross D-5

About this map

Mosquito Fork winds through a landscape of expansive wetlands and high ridges in this mid-century survey of the Alaska interior. The map focuses on the hydrologic network of the region, where the broad, marshy valley of the fork meets the drainage of Wolf Creek. A singular evidence of human presence appears near the center of the sheet at a Cabin (Ruins), suggesting an isolated outpost or trapping site that had already fallen into disrepair by the mid-1950s. The terrain is defined by steep relief rising from the water-saturated lowlands, illustrating the difficult geography that limited settlement in this portion of the Tanacross D-5 quadrangle. The lack of roads or established trails on the map emphasizes the wilderness character of the area during this era of aerial photogrammetric mapping.