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1951 Map of Tom

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Tom
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

The Red River creates a meandering border between Oklahoma and Texas in this 1951 study of McCurtain County and Bowie County. The landscape is defined by the river's shifting path, evident in complex features like Severn Island and the Bailey Cut-off. This era reveals a rural community supported by local institutions, with the settlement of Tom serving as a central point for the surrounding area. Numerous small schoolhouses, such as Sand Hill Sch and Pleasant Grove Sch, are scattered across the terrain, indicating a decentralized educational system typical of the mid-century South.

Transportation and genealogy are well-represented, with the Frisco railroad line cutting through the northern section and several family-named burial grounds like Harris Cem and Manning Cem located near the river's edge. The presence of the Clear Lake Ferry highlights how residents crossed the water before bridge infrastructure dominated the region, while oxbow lakes such as Breedlove Lake and Snag Lake trace the river's ancient migrations through the valley.