1955 Map of Sweet Lake

About this map

Sabine National Wildlife Refuge dominates this coastal landscape in the mid-1950s, a complex of bayous, prongs, and savannas including Mangrove Bayou and Grosse Savane. Settlement follows the natural high ground of the ridges, with the community of Creole serving as a hub for local life. This stretch of Cameron Parish reveals a specialized economy where maritime transit via the Intracoastal Waterway and Creole Ferry meets the growing energy sector at the Sweet Lake Oil Field. Evidence of community infrastructure is dense along the southern frontage, featuring the St Gabriel Hospital, Creole High Sch, and churches like Ebenezer Ch. To the south, the transition from marsh to open sea is marked by Hackberry Beach along the Gulf of Mexico, while the Mermentau River and Lower Mud Lake define the eastern drainage patterns.