1955 Map of Lafayette

About this map

The Vermilion River carves through the heart of this mid-century Louisiana landscape, serving as a central artery for the growing city of Lafayette. Beyond the urban core, the map reveals a complex web of drainage coulees, such as Coulee de Carencro and Coulee de Anselm, which define the low-lying terrain of the Cajun heartland. The economic life of the era is evidenced by the Southern Pacific railroad lines connecting Duson and Scott, alongside the emerging Duson Gas Field and scattered oil wells that denote the region's industrial shift. For genealogists, the map is a dense record of family and community landmarks, featuring several country burial sites including Bethel Cem, Abshire Cem, and Petry Cem. Educational hubs like Judice High Sch and Southside Sch are documented alongside smaller rural settlements such as Ridge, Meaux, and Andrew, showing the distribution of the population across the prairies and bayous before widespread modern expansion.