1985 Map of Monroe North

About this map

Grambling State University and Louisiana Tech University anchor the southern corridor of this North Louisiana region, which is defined by the intersection of academic institutions and the extractive industries of the mid-1980s. The landscape transitions from the dense timberlands of the Kisatchie National Forest in the west to the expansive Monroe Gas Field and Calhoun Gas and Oil Field in the east. Hydrological features dominate the central terrain, notably Bayou D'Arbonne Lake and the complex wetlands of the D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge. Transportation networks follow the historic rail lines of the Illinois Central Gulf RR, while the Ouachita River and Bayou Bartholomew provide the traditional watery arteries for the twin cities of Monroe and West Monroe. Smaller settlements like Dubach, Bernice, and Marion remain connected by a web of state highways that cut through the rolling hills of Union, Lincoln, and Claiborne parishes.