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1939 Map of Fordoche

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of Fordoche
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

The Atchafalaya River and the Mississippi River frame a landscape defined by intricate bayous and the reach of early 20th-century railroads. This 1930s survey, published following the Flood Control Act of 1939, documents the complex hydraulic environment of Pointe Coupee Parish and St Landry Parish. The arrival of the Texas and Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads facilitated the growth of timber and agricultural hubs like Melville, Fordoche, and Livonia.

Genealogists and local historians will find significant value in the documentation of combined community centers such as Mt Olive Ch Sch & Cem and King Solomon Ch & Sch, which reflect the historical convergence of faith and education in rural Louisiana. The map also traces the winding courses of Bayou Fordoche, Bayou Grosse Tete, and Bayou Alabama, illustrating how these waterways dictated the placement of landings and family-named landmarks like McNeely Spur and Frederick Spur.