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1964 Map of Gibson

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Gibson
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

The low-lying wetlands of Terrebonne Parish are defined here by a dense network of watercourses and industrial extraction during the mid-1960s. Settlements such as Gibson and Donner are tied closely to the Southern Pacific railroad line, which cuts a straight path across the swampy terrain. The landscape is heavily engineered for both drainage and resource wealth, evidenced by the Donner Canal and the expansive Chacahoula Oil and Gas Field.

Genealogists and local historians can locate several community anchors along the banks of Bayou Black, including Gibson Ch and Beulah Ch. Further north near Chacahoula, the Rose Hill Ch and an adjacent Cem suggest older centers of settlement. The map also captures an Indian Mound, providing a rare glimpse into the pre-industrial history of this deltaic region before modern drainage projects like the Lafourche Terrebonne Drainage Canal further altered the hydrology.