1963 Map of Mound

About this map

Mound and the surrounding alluvial lowlands of Madison Parish are defined by the intricate winding of Walnut Bayou and Roundaway Bayou as they meander toward the Mississippi River. The landscape is a complex of oxbow lakes and sloughs, including Texas Lake, Big Lake, and Long Lake, which illustrate the river's historical shifts. This 1963 survey captures the rural character of the region, anchored by the Illinois Central railroad and a network of landing strips like Yerger Landing Strip and Red Beard Landing Strip. The map is particularly notable for its record of African American community life, preserving the locations of numerous churches and cemeteries such as Mt Moriah Ch No 1, Shady Grove Ch, and Thomastown Cem. Visible Indian Mounds near St John Ch point to the much deeper indigenous history of this river valley, while scattered settlements like Thomastown and Fortune Fork show the twentieth-century distribution of agricultural life.