Loading map...

1955 Map of Crowley

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Crowley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The rice-growing heart of Acadia Parish is centered on Crowley and Rayne in this mid-century look at the Louisiana prairie. The landscape is defined by an extensive network of irrigation canals, such as the Hunter Canal and Gueydan Canal, which supported the region's agricultural economy. This 1955 survey, updated with 1971 urban expansions, shows the Southern Pacific railroad corridor linking established settlements like Estherwood, Midland, and Kaplan.

Genealogists can find numerous family-named landmarks and cemeteries, including St Joseph Cem in Rayne and the Hanks and Cormier Cem further south. The map documents the rural infrastructure of the era, from the Louisiana State University Experiment Station to local spiritual hubs like Hebron Ch and Ebenezer Ch. Significant water features like Bayou Plaquemine Brule and Bayou Queue de Tortue wind through the parish, marking the natural drainage that preceded the modern canal system.