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1971 Map of Melder

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Melder
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1993
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1993

About this map

The Calcasieu River meanders through the heart of this Rapides Parish landscape, defining the character of the terrain just as much as the surrounding Kisatchie National Forest. Small settlements like Melder and Calcasieu anchor the rural road network, while the local geography is heavily marked by several country churches and their associated cemeteries, including Union Hill Ch and Union Hill Cem near the southern Base Line.

Evidence of the region's historical infrastructure and industry is found in the recurring Old Railroad Grade that cuts across the forest, alongside scattered Gravel Pits. Water resources are abundant, with numerous named branches like Goodman Branch and Squyres Branch feeding into the river system. The presence of the Sunset Lookout Tower reflects the importance of forest management in this timber-rich portion of Louisiana during the early 1970s.