1971 Map of Tennemo

About this map

The Mississippi River defines the western edge of this landscape, its shifting course marked by numerous islands and towheads such as Island No 14 and Blaker Towhead. Set during a period of transition in the early 1970s, the map reveals a complex system of levees and floodgates designed to manage the low-lying terrain of Little Prairie and the surrounding river bottoms. Small agricultural communities like Tennemo and Cottonwood Grove are connected by a network of drainage ways including Blue Bank Bayou and Running Reelfoot Bayou, illustrating the area's deep reliance on land reclamation for farming.