1949 Map of Beaumont

About this map

The Leaf River snakes through the heart of this post-war landscape, defining the geography of south-central Mississippi. Large portions of the territory are designated as the Camp Shelby Military Reservation and the De Soto National Forest, showing the significant federal footprint in the region during the late 1940s. The settlement of Beaumont serves as a vital rail junction, where the Gulf Mobile and Ohio and the Bonhomie and Hattiesburg Southern railroads intersect, facilitating the local timber and agricultural economy. Downstream, the town of McLain sits near the confluence of Thompson Creek and the river, surrounded by numerous dead-river lakes and sandbars like Longfield Sandbar. Genealogists will find a wealth of local landmarks, including several rural congregations such as Moody Chapel and Buffalo Ch, along with the McSwain Sch and family-named cemeteries like Sylvester Cem and Lott Cem.