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1955 Map of Black Lake

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Black Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Industrial expansion and marshland drainage define the landscape of the mid-1950s near the boundary of Calcasieu Parish and Cameron Parish. The dominance of the energy sector is evident in the sprawling West Hackberry Oil Field and the Chourique Oil and Gas Field, marked by numerous oil wells and oil tanks. Infrastructure for heavy industry intersects with the natural hydrology of the region, where the Intracoastal Waterway cuts a straight path through the wetlands.

Genealogists and local historians can locate several family markers in this coastal environment, including Moss Cem along Bayou Chourique and Landry Cem to the east. The map captures the complex water network of Black Lake and Clear Marais before modern alterations. Significant engineering features like the Sabine Canal and Alkali Ditch reflect the ongoing efforts to manage the wetlands for commerce and extraction.