1957 Map of Brookeland

About this map

The Sabine National Forest dominates the landscape of East Texas in this mid-century survey, revealing a region defined by its timber and water resources. Settlements like Brookeland and Pineland are surrounded by a dense network of creeks, including Big Sandy Creek and Sixmile Creek, which have historically shaped the local geography and industry. A significant detail on this sheet is the blue hachured area indicating the proposed McGee Bend Reservoir, signaling the coming transformation of the Trout Bayou and Mc Kim Creek bottomlands into what is now Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Researchers can find several small, family-linked settlements such as Stumptown, Blackjack, and Browndell, along with numerous country burial grounds like Mc Elroy Cem and Spring Hill Cem. Cultural landmarks like Weeks Chapel and the Horton Lookout tower provide specific points of interest for local history and genealogical study in Newton, Sabine, and Jasper Counties.