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1939 Map of Zachary

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of Zachary
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1941
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1941

About this map

Leland College and the growing rail towns of East Baton Rouge Parish define this 1939 survey, which captures the region just before mid-century expansion. The Illinois Central Railroad and Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad corridors serve as the primary axes for settlements like Zachary, Baker, and Slaughter. This network supported a rural economy transitioning toward industrialization, evidenced by the oil reserve pits and the industrial activity near Scotlandville.

Along the winding Mississippi River, the landscape is dominated by Devils Swamp and the precarious Springfield Bend. Farther inland, numerous community landmarks like the Benevolent Society Ch, Shadygrove Ch & Cem, and Philadelphia Ch & Cem provide essential data for genealogists tracing the African American and rural heritage of the area. The map also documents educational history through rural institutions such as the Chaneyville Sch and Liberty Sch.