1955 Map of Iowa

About this map

The Southern Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads define the industrial and transit corridor of this Calcasieu Parish landscape, converging near the established settlement of Iowa. The map reveals a transition from the agricultural and rail-oriented centers of Manchester and Chloe in the north to the expanding energy sector in the south, anchored by the Holmwood Oil and Gas Field and Bell City Gas Field. The terrain is characterized by a sophisticated water management system, including the Government Ditch and an extensive network of levee structures that protect the low-lying prairie around English Bayou. Notable local landmarks like the Southwest Louisiana Boys Village and the rural communities of Bellevue and Bon Air provide specific points of interest for genealogists and local historians tracking the mid-century development of the region before significant late-20th-century suburban expansion.