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1962 Map of Smithland

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Smithland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Smithland serves as the primary hub in this corner of Marion County, defined by a landscape where upland forests meet the wetlands of the Big Cypress Bayou system. The settlement pattern is characterized by numerous rural congregations and family burial grounds, such as Logan Chapel, Savannah Ch, and Rand Cem, which are scattered throughout the wooded terrain. These features suggest a long-established community structure that predates the mid-century industrial developments visible on the map.

To the south, the terrain descends into the complex waterways of the Caddo Lake basin. This area is a maze of sloughs and chutes, including Patterson Slough, Old House Slough, and Carters Chute, which surround Goat Island. The presence of the Smithland Lookout Tower overlooking Mill Creek and the surrounding timberland reflects the region's reliance on forest management and its proximity to the vast riverine environment of the Texas-Louisiana borderlands.