Loading map...

1892 Map of Mount Airy

Name: 1892 Topographic Map of Mount Airy
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1898
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1898

About this map

Long, narrow riverfront tracts define the settlement pattern along the Mississippi River in this late nineteenth-century landscape. These long lots, or arpent tracts, stretch back from the riverbanks towards the dense swamp hinterlands, reflecting the traditional French colonial method of land division that ensured water access for every landowner. Along the northern bank, the New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railroad cuts across these holdings, connecting river communities like Mt. Airy, Terre Haute, and Belle Point.

Beyond the established plantations and landings of the Louisville Reach, the map reveals a vast, intricate network of waterways flowing toward Lake Maurepas. Named bayous such as Blind River, Dutch Bayou, and Alligator Bayou weave through the swampy interiors of Ascension and St. James parishes. On the southern bank, the town of Edgard sits opposite Willow Bend, serving as a focal point for local commerce and river transit during a period when the river was the primary artery of Louisiana trade.