1954 Map of Abbeville

About this map

Abbeville serves as the focal point for this mid-century look at Vermilion Parish, where the industrial presence of the Southern Pacific railroad meets a landscape defined by complex water systems. The map traces the winding Vermilion River as it passes from the parish seat down toward Intracoastal City and the vast Vermilion Bay. This era shows the local economy's heavy reliance on natural resources, evident in the Erath Oil and Gas Field and numerous gas wells scattered across the coastal marshes. Rural life is anchored by family and community landmarks such as Briggs Chapel, the Mouton Cove Sch, and several localized burial grounds like Trahan Cem and Bares Cem. The transition from agricultural land to tidal marsh is marked by timbered elevations like Big Woods Island and Palmetto Island, providing a detailed record of the terrain before decades of coastal change.