1970 Map of Portage

About this map

The Atchafalaya Basin Floodway dominates this 1970 survey, revealing a landscape defined by the intersection of natural wetlands and industrial management in Louisiana. Situated along the border of St. Landry and St. Martin Parishes, the settlement of Portage sits protected by an extensive Levee system. This era highlights the area's economic reliance on the environment, seen in the Krotz Springs Oil and Gas Field and a localized Crawfish Farm. The hydrological complexity of the basin is evident through a maze of waterways, including Bayou Courtableu, Bayou Fordoche, and the engineered Courtableu Outlet Channel. Collectors will notice the intricate naming of water bodies such as of the Swamps Bayou and Little Bayou Fordoche, which illustrate the density of the swamp terrain before modern drainage further altered the Atchafalaya River corridor.