A Traveling Map, Part IV: Holtz's 1864 Map of the Land above Shreveport

The fabulous and very informative Holtz map of the American Southwest (what was the Southwest in 1864) can be found at the Library of Congress. It is linked in the article below.

Helmuth Holtz's maps are some of my absolute favorites. The Historic New Orleans Collection is also a big fan - from them, I learned that he was born in Kappeln, Germany in 1833 and died in New Orleans in 1915. His highly detailed maps depict roads, settlements, ferries, and (some imaginary) railroads. I've posted his map of Texas from 1865 three times before, with a focus on the Great Bend; the Marcy Expedition; and Pilot Grove in Grayson County. In this serial continuation, I'm focusing on his map of Louisiana and Arkansas from 1864, particularly the Shreveport area.

I've circled some spots of interests to regale you with the history behind a few places on the map!

Port Caddo (Green Circle)

Once a Caddo village before Americans pushed them westward and out of their home territory, Port Caddo began life as a Republic of Texas military post (Post Caddo) and then, as an anticipated steamboat landing site after the first raft removal (1830s) on the south shore of Ferry Lake at Swanson's Landing. The town grew, but didn't become the major destination that its rival, Jefferson did, mainly because unlike Port Caddo, Jefferson became a county seat of newly-formed Marion County in 1860. The map seems to think this lake was actually called either Berry or Barry Lake (it's a bit fuzzy). For the record, Ferry Lake no longer exists, anyway; the second raft removal above Shreveport in the 1870s eventually dried it out, and Port Caddo withered away along with it. Today, the entrance to Caddo Lake State Park occupies the southern shore of the old lake bed and what was once Port Caddo.

Unnamed Railroad Track (Yellow Circle)

Due to secession and the lack of capital, railroad building came quite late to northwestern Louisiana and northeastern Texas. Therefore, the Vicksburg and Shreveport Railroad that this map shows, which looks like it connected Greenwood (Caddo Parish, Louisiana) to Port Caddo (today's Marion County, Texas) was a fervent dream of industrialists. This actual road didn't come to pass until the turn of the 20th century. Some of the tracks had been laid by 1864, but no trains ran - and when the railroad was completed, it connected Greenwood to Marshall (Harrison County, Texas). Port Caddo did have a short-line railroad by 1857, but it connected to Marshall, not Greenwood.

Willow Chute (Pink Circle)

Along the Red River in Bossier Parish, two creeks are labeled as "chutes" (on some maps, they were spelled "shoots.") These creeks, Willow Chute and Red Chute, were used by plantations to ferry their goods towards the river as they provided a relatively easy, straight-forward and gravity-assisted waterway - and they helped bypass the Great Raft of the Red River. During the early steamboat era (1820s), the chutes could also ferry boats upriver, too, to navigate around the Great Raft, a massive log jam that hindered direct northward travel.

Overton (Red Circle)

Overton is no longer recognizable on maps as it was obliterated by the construction of Interstate 20, but it was once one of the earliest settlements of Claiborne Parish, which itself was one of Northwest Louisiana's earliest parishes (the site of Overton is in today's Webster Parish). Both a sawmill and a gristmill were established here before the 1820s. Overton, named after a parish judge, became the head of navigation for Dorcheat Bayou, Lake Bisteneau, and the Quachita/ Red Rivers, but flooding left an unhealthy environment. Many residents preferred Minden instead, though Overton remained as a shipping center until well after the Civil War.

Black Lake Bayou (Purple Circle)

If you've made it this far in your read, I won't inundate you with more arcane facts - except to mention that it was along this bayou in 1934 where Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow hid from the laws after their last known murder in Oklahoma. They met their deaths in an ambush just northeast of the bayou as they were attempting to drive to their hideout on the morning of May 23, 1934.

There's lots more to talk about on this map, but I've tired your eyes enough! Instead, enjoy the map in its entirety by following the link below, and peruse to your heart's content.

https://www.loc.gov/item/99447188/