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1940 Map of Marksville

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Marksville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Marksville and the surrounding river bottomlands of Avoyelles Parish are documented here during a period of significant flood control activity managed by the Corps of Engineers. The Red River dominates the northern landscape, its shifting course marked by historical boundaries like the Meander Line 1844. The interaction between the elevated terrain of the Avoyelles Prairie and the complex drainage of Bayou des Glaises and Bayou du Lac highlights the area's agricultural and hydrologic history.

Settlement patterns follow the high ground and rail lines, with established communities like Mansura and Hessmer connected by the Louisiana and Arkansas and Texas and Pacific railroads. Local genealogy is well-served by the density of rural landmarks, including the St Joseph Cem 49, Fort De Russy, and numerous parochial sites like the St Mary Ch & Cem. The map also details early industrial infrastructure such as the Latex Pipe Line Corp line crossing the central wetlands.