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1908 Map of Baton Rouge

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of Baton Rouge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1921
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1921

About this map

The Mississippi River defines the landscape of this 1906 survey, twisting through a network of points and bends that shaped the early development of Baton Rouge and Plaquemine. The map documents a transition in transport, showing the intricate rail systems of the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley RR and the Louisiana Railway and Navigation Company alongside the established river economy.

Local commerce is anchored at landmarks like Harelsons Store and Starings Store, while the rural character of the parishes is marked by numerous country congregations, including New Gideon Church, Magnolia Church, and St George Chapel. Significant wetlands like Spanish Lake and the winding Manchac Bayou illustrate the complex drainage patterns of East Baton Rouge Parish and Iberville Parish before modern channelization altered the basin.