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1960 Map of Basile

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Basile
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Bayou Nezpique winds through the heart of this coastal prairie landscape, forming the boundary between Allen and Jefferson Davis Parishes and Evangeline and Acadia Parishes. The region’s economic life in the mid-20th century is clearly defined by the intersection of traditional agriculture and a burgeoning petroleum industry, with extensive drilling operations like the Tepetate Oil and Gas Field and Evangeline Oil and Gas Field dotting the countryside. Transport networks, including the Missouri Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads, connect established settlements such as Elton and Basile.

Local heritage is deeply rooted in the rural stretches between towns, evidenced by numerous family-named landmarks and parish institutions. Researchers can identify many small cemeteries like Chretien Cem and Lockett Cem, alongside spiritual centers such as St Monica Ch and St Jules Ch. The map also captures early aviation footprints like Perrodin Landing Field, showing how this part of Louisiana balanced remote bayou terrain with modern infrastructure.