1946 Map of Jennings

About this map

The Jennings street grid centers this 1946 advance sheet, revealing a landscape defined by the intersection of the Southern Pacific railroad and early automotive routes like US Highway No 90. The map documents a transition from the structured town blocks of Jennings and the smaller settlement of Roanoke to the expansive agricultural and drainage networks of Jefferson Davis Parish. A complex system of waterways, including the Sturdivant Canal, Broadmore Ditch, and Keystone Ditch, highlights the region's reliance on water management for rice farming or other irrigation-heavy industries. Along the eastern edge, the Mermentau River and Bayou Nezpique form a natural boundary, their winding courses contrasting with the rigid section lines and state highways such as State Highway No 25 that partition the surrounding prairie.