1954 Map of Negreet SW

About this map

The Sabine River serves as the central artery and state boundary in this detailed study of the borderlands between Texas and Louisiana. Recorded before and during the major inundation of the Toledo Bend Reservoir, the map reveals a landscape defined by oxbow lakes, sloughs, and family-named landmarks like Harpers Bend and Ferry Lake. The western portion is dominated by the Sabine National Forest, where the Sabine Lookout Tower stood watch over a network of creek branches and timbered ridges such as Moss Hill. Social and industrial history is visible in the presence of Oak Hill Church and the Lows Cemetery, while a dismantled railroad and various pipelines suggest the era's evolving transportation and energy infrastructure. The transition from free-flowing river bottom to a massive reservoir is captured here, showing how the rising waters began to alter the geography of Sabine County and Sabine Parish.