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1972 Map of Readland

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Readland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Meandering oxbow lakes and complex river cutoffs define this riverine landscape along the border of Arkansas and Mississippi. Centered on the Mississippi River, the map captures a highly engineered alluvial plain where massive water bodies like Lake Washington, Lake Lee, and Grand Lake mark the former paths of the river. The importance of flood control and navigation is evident in features like the Worthington Cut Off (1933) and the earlier American Cutoff (1858), which bypassed the dramatic loops of Worthington Point.

Settlement patterns follow the high ground and levees, with small communities such as Readland, Glen Allan, and Eminence scattered across the floodplain. Local heritage is preserved in the numerous rural churches and cemeteries, including Little Sister Ch, Rising Sun Ch, and Lakeport Cem. Along the eastern edge, the Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge provides a glimpse into the preserved wetlands of the Delta, while Indian Mounds near the center of the sheet point to much deeper roots of human habitation in this fertile basin.