1939 Map of St. Martinsville

About this map

The winding course of Bayou Teche defines the economic and cultural heart of this Cajun landscape, flowing through the historic centers of St. Martinsville and New Iberia. In the late 1930s, this region shows a transition from traditional plantation life to modern infrastructure, seen in the proximity of Longfellow Evangeline State Park to the emerging St Martinsville Oil Field. The landscape is a network of waterways and early transport lines, including the Southern Pacific railroad and the Ruth Canal, which serviced the agricultural interests surrounding Spanish Lake. Local genealogy is well-represented through numerous schools and religious sites like the Mt Olive Ch & Cem and Cecelia Ch & Sch, alongside family-named holdings such as the Girouard Ranch. The topography reveals the complex drainage patterns of the area, including Cypress Island and various coulees that fed the local irrigation systems.