1949 Map of Valdez D-7

About this map

Tazlina Lake dominates this 1949 topographic study, where the Nelchina River enters from the north near a small Cabin and the Mendeltna Creek drainage. This mid-century survey illustrates an era before significant infrastructure reached this interior Alaskan landscape, which is marked instead by isolated surveying benchmarks like VABM 5000 Porter and VABM Tar 4203. The map documents the wilderness character of the Copper River basin just as modern photogrammetric mapping began to provide a precise record of the region's complex hydrology, including the high-altitude High Lake and the winding paths of Kaina Creek and Tokaina Creek. The presence of the Copper River Base Line indicates the early administrative framework being established over the territory, anchoring this otherwise remote expanse of water and peak.