1955 Map of Utukok River C-5

About this map

Kokolik River winds through this expanse of the North Slope, carving a serpentine path through a landscape dominated by thaw lakes and wet tundra. The mapping, based on 1955 aerial photography by the Army Map Service, captures the raw hydrology of the Arctic coastal plain before significant modern infrastructure. A notable administrative feature is the Naval Petroleum Reserve No 4 Boundary (Indefinite), which vertically bisects the western portion of the quadrangle. This boundary represents a massive federal land withdrawal dating back to the Harding administration, intended to secure oil interests for the United States Navy. The map provides a detailed view of the natural drainage patterns and the countless unnamed water bodies that characterize this permafrost-rich environment.