1987 Map of Bee Bayou

About this map

The agricultural landscape of Richland Parish is defined here by a dense network of meandering waterways and the transport corridor of the Illinois Central Gulf railroad. Centered on the settlement of Bee Bayou, the terrain is etched by the intricate paths of Cow Bayou, Hurricane Bayou, and Cypress Creek, which drain the low-lying plains toward the southern boundary. This 1987 provisional survey captures the transition between the eastern edge of Rayville and the community of Holly Ridge during a period when local drainage management—indicated by levees and flumes—was essential for maintaining the surrounding fields. The confluence of several small streams into Big Creek at the Richland Parish and Franklin Parish line illustrates the complex hydrological character of this portion of northern Louisiana.