1959 Map of Starks

About this map

The Sabine River defines the western edge of this 1959 survey, winding through a complex network of bayous and oxbow lakes such as Horseshoe Lake and Alligator Lake. The landscape is a study in the transition between riverine swamplands and the industrializing piney woods of Calcasieu Parish. The community of Starks serves as a central hub, where Louisiana 12 meets the Kansas City Southern Railway. This era shows the region's heavy reliance on natural resources, evidenced by the North Starks Oil Field and scattered sulphur wells. To the east, the terrain transitions toward the Houston River drainage, marked by small settlements like Lunita and Big Woods. Genealogists will find numerous family and community landmarks, including the Starks Cem, Benevolent Cem, and Antioch Ch, alongside an Old Railroad Grade that hints at earlier timber operations.