1956 Map of Colfax

About this map

Colfax and its surrounding riverine landscape appear here during a period of transition in the mid-1950s, bounded by the Kansas City Southern railroad and the winding Red River. The map documents the extensive Kisatchie National Forest and the complex hydrology of the region, anchored by the sprawling Lake Iatt and the Rigolette Spillway. Small rural communities and church-centered settlements like Williana, Faircloth, and Summerfield are scattered throughout the piney woods, connected by a network of bayous including Sugarhouse Bayou and Valentine Bayou. Local landmarks such as the Spanish Mound and Vance Lookout Tower provide navigational and historical context for the Grant Parish interior. Genealogists will find numerous rural centers of worship, from Liberty Chapel to Zion Hill Ch, which served as the primary social hubs for these upland timber and farming communities.