1891 Map of Hahnville

About this map

The Mississippi River snakes through the northern portion of this landscape, its banks densely lined with family-named settlements and railroad crossings at the end of the 19th century. This area of St Charles Parish shows a complex network of infrastructure where the Texas and Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads navigate the transition from the riverfront to the southern wetlands. The interior is dominated by the expansive Prairie des Allemands, a vast marshy reach punctuated by waterways like Bayou Black Prince and Bayou Piquant. In the southwest, the fishing and trapping community of Des Allemands sits at the head of Little Lake, marking an important transport node where rail lines meet the bayou. The map documents the intricate division of land along the river, where long, narrow strips characteristic of the French arpent system extend back from the water near Hahnville and Lone Star.