1956 Map of Vivian

About this map

The Vivian Oil Field and the surrounding Rodessa Gas Field dominate this mid-century landscape in northwestern Louisiana. The heavy industrial footprint of petroleum extraction is balanced by a dense network of country churches and rural schools, many of which were already marked as abandoned by the mid-1950s, such as the Rosenwald Sch and Galilee Sch. Along the eastern edge, the Red River carves a winding path through Dutch John Bottom, leaving behind numerous oxbow remnants like Old Bed Horseshoe Lake and Old Bed Posten Lake. Transport infrastructure is robust, with the Kansas City Southern RR and Texas and Pacific RR providing critical links for the timber and oil industries, while the Myrtis Mill and several local landing fields reflect the area's varied economic activity during this era of transition.