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1956 Map of Reelfoot Lake

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Reelfoot Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Reelfoot Lake dominates this mid-century landscape, a complex system of cypress swamps and open water basins created by seismic activity along the Mississippi River. The sheet detail covers the transition from the low-lying wetlands of the Reelfoot National Wild Life Refuge to the eastern bluffs. To the west, the Mississippi River winds past Island No 10, while the Illinois Central Railroad serves small agricultural hubs like Tiptonville and Ridgely.

Genealogists and local historians will find a high density of rural landmarks, including numerous family-named houses of worship and burial grounds such as Crocketts Chapel & Cem and Antioch Ch & Cem. The map reveals the intricate network of sloughs and bayous, such as Buzzard Slough and Running Reelfoot Bayou, which supported the local economy of fishing and hunting, evidenced by the Hickman Hunting Club and Roneys Store.