2018 Map of Blackburn

About this map

Claiborne Parish family history is deeply etched into the landscape around Blackburn and Ruple through an extensive network of rural burial grounds. The 2018 survey reveals a terrain defined by winding waterways like Flat Lick Bayou and Black Bayou, which carve through the dense woodlands of the Kisatchie National Forest. This region, split by the boundary with Webster Parish, is characterized by its numerous small family and community cemeteries, including Gryder Cem, King Cem, Webb Cem, and Cold Springs Cem. The density of these sites, often situated at the terminus of local routes like Bethlehem Rd or Jo Pruitt Rd, indicates a long-standing settlement pattern of dispersed farmsteads and small crossroads communities. The landscape remains largely rural, with the topography undulating toward drainage basins such as Coon Hollow and Glass Creek, preserving a layout that likely mirrors early twentieth-century land use.