1960 Map of Cameron Farms

About this map

Gum Cove Ridge stands as a prominent topographical feature in this coastal landscape, where the marshy terrain of Wild Prairie meets the industrial and transport infrastructure of southwest Louisiana. The area is defined by its complex water network, centered on the Intracoastal Waterway and the winding Black Bayou. This 1960 survey, updated with 1975 revisions, captures a pivotal period for the region's extractive economy, notably the Black Bayou Oil Field and the Gum Cove Oil and Gas Field. Small-scale transport and local industry are evidenced by the Gum Cove Ferry and Sutton Slip, while the presence of the Pirogue Trail hints at traditional navigation methods used through the wetlands. The transition from the parish of Calcasieu to Cameron is marked across a landscape dotted with named high points like Bird Island, Rabbit Island, and Deer Island, illustrating how subtle elevation changes dictated human use of the marsh.