1954 Map of DeRidder

About this map

De Ridder serves as a major junction in Beauregard Parish, defined by the convergence of the Kansas City Southern, Gulf and Santa Fe, and Pacific railroads. The landscape reveals the heavy influence of the timber industry, marked by numerous segments of Old Logging Railroad Grade and Old Grade winding through the wetlands of Cowpen Creek and Beetree Creek. These rail lines connect smaller communities such as Ludington, Grabow, and Carson, which are spaced along the transport corridors and waterways. In the rural areas surrounding the town center, community life is anchored by landmarks like the Old Hickman Sch and Pine Ridge Ch. The terrain is characterized by a dense network of streams including Palmetto Creek and Hagens Branch, which dictated the early settlement patterns and the placement of the various logging spurs that once crisscrossed this region.