2019 Map of Tom

About this map

Tom sits in the northeastern corner of this landscape, a small community at the edge of the Ouachita National Forest. The geography is defined by the massive, winding course of the Red River, which forms the border between Oklahoma and Texas. The river's dynamic history is visible in its complex hydrology, featuring numerous oxbow lakes such as Caney Lake, Gunn Lake, and Churchhouse Lake, along with distinctive river features like Severn Island and the Bailey Cut-off. For those tracing local family history, several small burial sites are documented, including Harris Cem, Manning Cem, Byrms Cem, and Pine Ridge Cem. The transition from the forested uplands in the north to the low-lying bayous and sloughs of the river bottom, such as Red Slough and Hooks Bayou, illustrates the flood-prone nature of the McCurtain and Bowie County borderlands.