1962 Map of Wainwright D-2

About this map

The Chukchi Sea dominates this coastal survey, where the icy waters meet the northwestern edge of the Alaskan Arctic. On the shoreline, Point Belcher serves as a prominent landmark for navigation along the jagged coast. Inland, the map reveals a vast landscape managed as part of the Naval Petroleum Reserve No 4, reflecting the strategic importance of the region's natural resources during the mid-20th century. A lone Winter Trail cuts through the tundra, indicating the specialized seasonal transportation networks required for movement across this environment. This survey captures a moment when federal agencies were actively mapping the remote reaches of the North Slope for both maritime safety and resource management.