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1908 Map of Baton Rouge

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of Baton Rouge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Baton Rouge serves as the focal point of this Mississippi River survey, depicting the city during a period of intense river commerce and early 20th-century rail expansion. The river itself dominates the landscape with dramatic bends at Duncan Point, Manchac Point, and Plaquemine Point. Numerous river landings, such as Evergreen Ldg and Lucky Plantation Ldg, line the banks, signaling the agricultural and shipping reliance on the waterway.

Inland, a network of rural life is visible through family-named landmarks and local commerce centers like Harelson's Store and Staring's Store. The topography is defined by complex water systems, including the swampy reaches of Spanish Lake and Bayou Manchac. This era shows the convergence of traditional river transport with multiple rail lines, including the Louisiana Railway and Navigation Company and the Texas and Pacific RR, illustrating the shifting economic infrastructure of the region.