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1961 Map of Mossy Lake

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Mossy Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Itta Bena and Moorhead anchor this 1961 survey of the Mississippi Delta, a landscape defined by its intricate river systems and fertile floodplains. The Yazoo River and Quiver River frame a region crisscrossed by bayous and oxbow lakes, such as Mossy Lake and Bee Lake. The rural economy of the era is evident in the dense network of small communities and family landmarks, including Colony Town, Sheppardtown, and Swiftown. The presence of numerous churches like Zion Rock Ch and Cypress Grove Ch, alongside scattered cemeteries such as McIntyre Cem, provides a detailed record of local genealogy and settlement patterns.

Transportation in the early 1960s relied on the Columbus and Greenville railroad and a web of crossings like Mathews Crossing. Significant engineering is visible through the Flood Gates near Moon Lake, illustrating the ongoing efforts to manage the Yazoo basin. From the Microwave Tower near Mt. Pleasant Ch to the Indian Mound near Itta Bena, the map records a transition between ancient landscape features and mid-century infrastructure.