2018 Map of Branch

About this map

Branch and the northern reaches of Rayne define this portion of Acadia Parish, where the Louisiana prairie is divided by a complex network of drainage coulees and bayous. The landscape is characterized by the meandering paths of Bayou Wikoff and the Coulee Duralde, which cut through the agricultural grid. For genealogists, the map is particularly rich in family-named sites, featuring numerous small burial grounds such as Hebert Cem, Murphy Cem, and Arceneaux Cem. These sites, often situated near watercourses like Gumpoint Gully or Bideman Gully, provide a detailed record of local family landholdings and early settlement patterns. The road network, including Thevis Rd and Prairie Hayes Rd, follows the section lines of the Public Land Survey System, illustrating the orderly transition from historical land grants to modern rural infrastructure.