1982 Map of Irwin Lake

About this map

Lafourche Bayou meanders through the heart of the northeastern Louisiana delta, forming a complex hydrologic network of lakes and sloughs along the Morehouse Parish Richland Parish line. In the early 1980s, this landscape was defined by the intersection of traditional agricultural settlements and industrial energy extraction, visible in the sprawling Monroe Gas Field to the west. Local life centers on small communities like Oak Ridge, Bardel, and Jonesburg, each anchored by historical rural institutions. Genealogists will find a high density of rural burial grounds and houses of worship, including Irwin Lake Cem, New Salem Cem, and James Chapel Cem, alongside St Luke Ch and Alexandria Ch No 2. The Missouri Pacific railroad cuts through the eastern terrain, reflecting the long-standing transport patterns of the region's river-and-rail economy.