1962 Map of Karnack

About this map

Longhorn Ordnance Works dominates the eastern portion of this landscape, its industrial grid and railway spurs contrasting sharply with the labyrinthine wetlands of the Big Cypress Bayou and Caddo Lake. The settlement of Karnack serves as a hub between the massive munitions plant and the waters of Caddo Lake State Park. Along the bayou, a complex network of chutes and sloughs including Clintons Chute and Whistleberry Slough illustrates the dynamic, flood-prone nature of the East Texas bottomlands. This 1962 record, with revisions through the 1970s, captures the intersection of heavy industry and preservation. Rural life is evidenced by family-named landmarks like Littletons Lake and Taylors Lake, alongside local gathering places such as Peters Chapel and Carver High Sch. The map also traces the infrastructure of the era, from the Louisiana and Arkansas rail lines to the Beers Caddo Lake Airport.