1966 Map of Patterson

About this map

Patterson sits at a sharp bend in Bayou Teche, serving as a focal point for the region's mid-century river-and-rail economy. This landscape is defined by the complex hydrology of the Atchafalaya Floodway and the Lower Atchafalaya River, where the Southern Pacific railroad tracks parallel the bayou through historic settlements like Calumet, Avalon, and Lagonda. Significant industrial infrastructure is evident in the Oil and Gas Field to the south and the Intracoastal Waterway, which cuts across the marshy terrain of Little Wax Bayou. Along the higher ground of the natural levees, residential expansion is visible at Bayou Vista, while the surrounding wetlands remain a maze of named channels including Bethel Bayou and Thompson Bayou. The map also captures local aviation history with the Williams Memorial Airport and the commercial importance of Wilsons Landing on the riverside.