1961 Map of Bayland

About this map

Silver Creek and the Lower Auxiliary Channel dominate this Mississippi Delta landscape at the intersection of Sharkey, Humphreys, and Yazoo counties. The 1961 field check captures a network of rural communities and church-centered settlements like Holly Bluff, Louise, and Spanish Fort during an era of significant water management engineering. The map reveals the intricate drainage patterns of the Yazoo Basin, where the Sunflower River and Yazoo River frame fertile lowlands marked by numerous oxbow lakes such as Five Mile Lake and Broad Lake. Genealogists will find a wealth of family and community landmarks, including the Humphreys Co Training School, several Indian Mounds, and numerous small burial grounds like Huddleston Cem and Kettleman Cem. The infrastructure of the Illinois Central railroad still serves as a primary transit corridor connecting remote hamlets like Craig and Patosi to larger agricultural centers.