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This Wien Alaska Airlines route map from the 1957 tourist season is an artifact of mid-20th century Alaskan aviation, showcasing the network of an airline at the forefront of Arctic exploration.
The map shows the airlines multi-engine liner routes, bush routes, and highway connections, reflecting the era's advancements in accessibility to remote regions.
The map's design is functional, utilizing a legend to differentiate between the types of routes, indicative of the operational strategies and geographic challenges faced by the airline. The verso contains textual descriptions of tour offerings and cultural insights, providing context to the destinations serviced by Wien Alaska Airlines and highlighting the company's role in promoting Arctic tourism.
As a historical document, the map is a representation of the airline's role in developing Alaskan air routes and fostering interaction with indigenous communities. It is both a navigational tool and a record of cultural exchange, significant to the understanding of aviation history and the socio-economic transformation of Alaska during the 1950s.
![[Russian Alaska] Меркаторская Генеральная Карта, части Российскихъ Владеній въ Америкѣ (Mercator's [or Mercatorial] General Map, parts of Russian Possessions in America)](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/55959.jpg)
