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1956 Map of Port Arthur

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Port Arthur
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The industrial hub of Port Arthur and the expansive wetlands of the Louisiana coast anchor this regional overview. The landscape is defined by its complex hydrology, where the Sabine River and Sabine Lake meet the Gulf of Mexico. This map illustrates the vital maritime infrastructure of the era, including the Intracoastal Waterway and the Sabine-Neches Waterway, which supported the region's shipping and petrochemical interests.

Inland, the survey tracks the transition from the refinery-dominated coastal cities like Nederland and Port Neches to the remote, ridge-based settlements of the bayou. Significant conservation areas such as the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge and Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge are clearly delineated, protecting the marshlands between Calcasieu Lake and White Lake. Transportation is shown through the Kansas City Southern Ry and the isolated stretches of Pecan Island and Grand Chenier Ridge, revealing how geography dictated human occupation in this low-lying coastal environment.