1988 Map of Onward

About this map

Deer Creek meanders sharply through the heart of the Mississippi Delta in this 1980s topographic record of Issaquena and Sharkey counties. The landscape is defined by its complex hydrology, where the meandering paths of Steele Bayou and Black Bayou trace the flat alluvial terrain between the small settlements of Onward and Smedes. This period captures the region as it balanced long-standing agricultural patterns with newer developments like the Fish Farm near Coon Bayou. The presence of an Old RR Grade south of Kelso marks the path of former rail lines that once served these rural communities, providing a vital link for genealogists tracing the movement of families and goods across the delta's fertile reaches. From Blanton in the north to Cypress Lake in the south, the map details a world of drainage canals and bayous essential to life in the flood-prone Mississippi basin.