1935 Map of Red Fork

About this map

The Arkansas River dominates this 1935 landscape, winding through a complex series of tight oxbows and bends including Pendleton Bend, Memphis Bend, and Red Fork Bend. This survey, conducted under the Mississippi River Commission, illustrates a critical era of flood control along the river's lower reaches. The eastern portion of the sheet is defined by the Missouri Pacific railroad corridor, which links the settlements of Watson, Kelso, and Rohwer. To the west, the line through Dumas, Walnut Lake, and Winchester mirrors this transport pattern, showing how rail lines followed the slightly higher ground between swampy bayous. The intricate drainage network of Oakwood Bayou, Amos Bayou, and Willow Slough reveals the naturally waterlogged state of the Delta before modern drainage projects fully transformed the agricultural landscape. Genealogists will find interest in the Pendleton Ferry crossing and scattered small stops like Medford and Yukon Spur.