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1955 Map of Lake Charles

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Lake Charles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Lake Charles and the industrial corridor of the Calcasieu River dominate the northwestern portion of this mid-century survey. The city's growth is evident through its dense network of educational and social institutions, from McNeese State College and St Charles Academy to neighborhood hubs like Barbe Sch and Oak Park Sch. To the east, the Lake Charles Air Force Base occupies a significant footprint, marking the era's military presence.

The landscape transitions southward into the prairie and marshlands of the Petit Bois Plateau, where the economy shifts to resource extraction at the Holmwood Oil and Gas Field and water management at the Sweet Lake Pumping Station. Transport routes like the Southern Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads connect smaller settlements such as Mallard Junction and Chloe to the larger city. Traces of early settlement remain visible in rural landmarks like St Elizabeth Ch and family-named sites such as LeBleu Cem.