1939 Map of Alsatia

About this map

The Mississippi River dominates this landscape along the border of Louisiana and Mississippi, revealing the dynamic evolution of the river's channel through massive engineering works. The map documents several significant alterations to the river's path, including the Newman Cut-Off and the Willow Cut-Off, which left behind dramatic oxbows and landforms like Albemarle Bend and Eagle Lake. On the western bank in East Carroll Parish, the Missouri Pacific railroad serves a string of agricultural settlements such as Alsatia, Sondheimer, and Transylvania. These communities are situated among a complex network of drainage canals and bayous, such as Little Tensas Bayou and Otter Bayou. Evidence of the region's ancient history is visible at Indian Mounds near Mt Chapel Ch, while more recent environmental history is marked by the Hollybrook Crevasse and Salem Crevasse, indicating the persistent threat of river flooding.