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1959 Map of Lake Chicot

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Lake Chicot
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Atchafalaya River waters dominate this low-lying stretch of southern Louisiana, where the intricate network of the Atchafalaya Basin shapes every aspect of human settlement and industry. By the late 1950s, the landscape was a complex mosaic of bayous and lakes defined by extensive energy extraction. The map reveals the growth of local industry through the Bayou Sorrel Oil Field and the Sullivans Lake Gas Field, highlighting how natural resource extraction integrated into the swampy terrain.

Settlement is concentrated along the waterways, with Bayou Sorrel and Crescent serving as primary hubs. Religious life is well-documented through landmarks like the Grand River Full Gospel Mission and Immaculate Conception Ch. Navigational control is evident at the Bayou Sorrel Lock, a critical junction for waterborne traffic. The map also preserves indigenous history with the marking of the Indian Mound Central, located near the convergence of Big Island Bayou and the Lower Grand River.