1950 Map of Teller C-4

About this map

Continental Divide crests across the Seward Peninsula in this 1950s-era topographic study, marking the primary watershed separation in this portion of the Nome region. The landscape is defined by a dense network of watercourses, where the Pinguk River and its various tributaries, such as Upkuarok Creek, drain the high ground toward the coast. The mapping, based on aerial photography from the late 1940s, reveals a terrain entirely devoid of established roads or trails during this period. Local drainage patterns are exceptionally detailed, showing the courses of the Nuluk River, Don River, and California River as they carve through the inland elevations. Minor branches like Deer Br and Willow Br feed into the larger river systems, illustrating the complex hydrology of the Alaskan interior before modern development. This document serves as a baseline for the remote geography of the peninsula, tracing the natural flow of water before any significant human infrastructure altered the landscape.