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1954 Map of Lake Texarkana

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Lake Texarkana
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

Lake Texarkana dominates this mid-1950s landscape, its jagged shoreline and rising waters reflecting a period of significant hydraulic engineering along the Sulphur River. The impoundment reached a normal pool elevation of 225 feet by the time of this field check, creating new landforms like Bells Island while submerging the lowlands of Bowie and Cass counties. The newly constructed Texarkana Dam and the adjacent Water Intake Tower stand as central monuments to the region's mid-century development.

Away from the water, the settlement of Redwater remains a key node along the St Louis Southwestern railroad. Local social and family histories are anchored by rural landmarks such as Clear Springs Church, Opossum Trot Church, and the Holloway Cem, which provide essential geographic context for researchers tracing genealogies in this corner of Northeast Texas. The presence of Gravel Pits and an Oil Well near the northern boundary points to the area's diverse industrial base during this era of growth.