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1951 Map of Teshekpuk

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Teshekpuk
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

Teshekpuk Lake dominates this Arctic landscape, serving as a massive hydrologic anchor within the Naval Petroleum Reserve No 4. This 1951 compilation, produced in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, captures the North Slope during a period of intense exploratory interest. The terrain is a complex web of thaw lakes and wandering watercourses, including the Chipp River and the braided Ikpikpuk River, which drain toward the Beaufort Sea.

Evidence of human activity is sparse but significant, notably the Half Moon Three Ranch and isolated Cabins near Smith Bay. The mention of an Oil Seep near Cape Simpson highlights the geological features that prompted the creation of the naval reserve. From Admiralty Bay to the mouth of the Topagoruk River, the map documents a delicate coastal environment defined by points, inlets, and islands like Oarlock I and Kikiktak Is.