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Alaska Before The Gold Rush

This map of Alaska, prepared by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, was produced following the Eleventh Census of the United States.

The Eleventh Census of the United States in Alaska was conducted in 1890 and 1891, with the results published in 1893 in the Report on Population and Resources of Alaska at the Eleventh Census. The census recorded a total population of 31,795 people, consisting of 19,130 males and 12,665 females. The population was categorized by race, including White, Mixed (Russian and native), Indians, Mongolians, and "all others." Counts for individual villages were also included in the report.

Additionally, the census identified a mixed-race group, which was noted as rapidly decreasing in numbers. This group was enumerated separately due to their unique status as the remaining descendants of the original inhabitants who were eligible to apply for citizenship rights. The report's focus on this group highlights the demographic changes occurring within Alaska during this period of American expansion and settlement.

The map offers an intricate and highly detailed representation of the region, designed to accompany the Report on the Population and Resources of Alaska as part of the census documentation. 

The map displays Alaska in the context of its geographic relationship to Eastern Siberia, the Bering Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. The projection emphasizes Alaska’s vastness and rugged coastline, including detailed illustrations of the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea islands, and the Gulf of Alaska. The intricate coastlines, rivers, mountain ranges, and other natural features are meticulously charted, reflecting the advances in cartographic accuracy made possible by ongoing surveys and exploration during this period.

Key features include the delineation of major geographic landmarks, such as the Seward Peninsula, Norton Sound, and the extensive Alaskan archipelagos. The map's grid system and compass roses, positioned in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, are typical of survey maps designed for navigational purposes, highlighting the importance of Alaska as a strategic location for shipping and exploration in the late 19th century.

The map’s creation shortly after the census also underscores the U.S. government's increasing interest in the economic and population potential of Alaska, which had been purchased from Russia just over two decades earlier in 1867. This interest was particularly focused on resource exploration and development, as Alaska's mineral wealth, fisheries, and fur trade were beginning to be realized.