1956 Map of Bastrop

About this map

Bastrop serves as the industrial and social hub of Morehouse Parish in the mid-1950s, anchoring a landscape where the Missouri Pacific and Arkansas Louisiana Missouri railroads converge. The town's grid is dense with infrastructure, including a Drive-in Theater and Morehouse Memorial Park, while the surrounding terrain is defined by the winding course of Bayou Bartholomew. To the north, the Gas and Oil Field near Beekman indicates the era's energy production, contrasting with the dense network of wetlands and brakes like Bussy Brake and Mayhaw Brake. This survey provides a clear look at the rural transition into the Arkansas borderlands, marked by numerous country landmarks such as Holly Green Ch and Cherry Ridge Sch. The presence of small settlements like Mer Rouge and Galion shows the importance of rail-line proximity for local post offices and commerce in this river-bottom territory.