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1954 Map of Mellwood

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

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The Mississippi River carves a complex path through the Delta in the mid-1950s, creating a mosaic of oxbow lakes and chutes across the state line between Arkansas and Mississippi. This period is defined by the legacy of flood control, marked clearly by historical breach points like the Ferguson Crevasse 1912 and the Knowlton Crevasse 1916 (Knowlton Blue Hole). These landmarks, alongside engineered features like the Jackson Cut-off (1941), illustrate the ongoing struggle to manage the river's power.

Agricultural settlements and tenant communities such as Rena Lara and Mellwood are densely documented, showing a landscape oriented toward the river and rail. Local life centers around numerous country churches and schools, including True Light Ch, St Joseph Ch & Cem, and the Mellwood Sch. The map also traces the winding courses of the Hushpuckena River and Yellow River, which once dictated the placement of early plantations and family cemeteries like the White Parker Cem.