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1952 Map of Lake Charles

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Lake Charles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Lake Charles anchors this mid-century landscape, a hub of industrial growth and natural preserve at the intersection of Southwest Louisiana’s coastal wetlands and timberlands. The post-war economy is evident in the dense concentration of oil and gas infrastructure, from the Sulphur Mines Oil Field to the Bancroft Oil and Gas Field, reflecting the era's rapid petrochemical expansion. This development exists alongside vast protected areas like the Lacassine Migratory Waterfowl Refuge and the southern reaches of the Kisatchie National Forest.

The complex water network of the Intracoastal Waterway, Calcasieu Lake, and Grand Lake illustrates the region's reliance on both river and maritime transport. Further inland, the rail-oriented growth of towns like De Ridder, Oakdale, and Jennings is traced along the Southern Pacific and Kansas City Southern lines. From the Black Marsh near the Texas border to the prairies of Rayne and Lafayette, the map captures a transition from swamp and marsh to productive agricultural and energy-producing lands.