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1943 Map of Kisatchie

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Kisatchie
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Kisatchie National Forest dominates the landscape of this wartime survey, revealing a region defined by its timber industry and complex water network. The Red River and Gulf Railroad provides a primary industrial artery, cutting east-to-west through settlements like Kurthwood, Alco, and Hutton. The influence of the timber trade is further evidenced by several stretches of Old Logging Railroad Grade, showing how deep-woods access shaped the development of northern Louisiana.

Smaller rural hubs like Kisatchie and Simpson are anchored by local landmarks such as Kisatchie Union Ch and Beasley Cem. In the north, the Red Dirt Preserve and the Red Dirt Lookout Tower overlook the headwaters of Kisatchie Bayou, while the southern reaches follow the meandering Calcasieu River. For those tracing local history, the map preserves the exact locations of vanished company towns and the family cemeteries that remained after the logging booms passed.