2020 Map of Lake Bruin

About this map

The alluvial plains of St. Joseph and the surrounding Tensas Parish lowlands are defined by an intricate network of waterways and drainage ditches. The landscape is dominated by the crescent of Lake Bruin and the winding course of Big Choctaw Bayou, which threads through agricultural lands marked by several plantation-era settlements. Local genealogy is well-represented through numerous burial grounds including Thistle Ridge Cem, Gold Bell Cem, and Cross Keys Cem, which are often located near small communities like Crimea and Maryland. The map reveals the infrastructure of this river-country environment, from the Hubbard Bridge spanning central bayous to the Tensas Flying Service airfield near the northern oxbow. Historically significant transport routes such as Osceola Plantation Dr and Old Stagg Rd trace the path of earlier development along the fertile ridges between the bayous.