1969 Map of Bayou Jack

About this map

West Atchafalaya Floodway dominates the eastern half of this landscape, reflecting mid-century water management efforts along the West Des Glaises Protection Levee. In the late 1960s, this area of St. Landry and Avoyelles Parishes remained a complex network of waterways, where the Diversion Channel cuts through a dense forest of bayous. Small rural centers like Bayou Jack and Taterville sit west of the floodway, supported by local landmarks such as Bayou Jack School and the Apostolic Church. To the south, the terrain opens into Prairie Rouge, where the Mt Olive Church and Cason Cemetery serve the surrounding community. The map reveals the intricate drainage patterns of the region, from the winding path of Bayou Horsehead to the larger Bayou Rouge, illustrating how natural hydrology and human-made levees defined local settlement.