Love County occupies Oklahoma’s southern border, where Marietta provides the main road and administrative reference and the Red River separates the county from Texas. Interstate 35 and U.S. 77 run north-south through Marietta and Thackerville, State Highway 32 crosses the county east-west, and State Highway 76 helps locate Leon in the western interior. The physical maps add a different layer: western hills rise above the river lowlands, Walnut Bayou and several creeks descend toward the Red River, and the eastern side contains a denser network of drainage channels. The map set can be viewed online, and high-resolution JPG originals are available together in a downloadable ZIP for printing or closer study.
The Oklahoma Historical Society places Love County in the Red River Plains and describes the landscape as rolling to hilly. The Red River and its tributaries drain the entire county. That description matches the supplied maps closely. The west and west-central interior contain the strongest uplands, the southern border is a broad low river corridor, and creek valleys cut through the eastern half. Lake Murray appears near the northeastern side, while smaller lakes and bayous provide additional landmarks across the county.
Table of Contents
Marietta organizes the road map around I-35 and State Highway 32
Marietta is the clearest place to begin on the general county map. The Oklahoma Historical Society identifies it as the Love County seat and places the city at State Highway 32 and Interstate 35. On the supplied map, Marietta sits near the center of the county’s developed road network. Greenville is north along the I-35 corridor, Thackerville is south toward the Texas line, and Burneyville and Leon lie to the west.
I-35 and U.S. 77 provide the dominant north-south reference. North of Marietta they continue toward Carter County; south of town they pass through the long Thackerville extension and approach the Red River. Thackerville’s position inside the narrow southern projection makes it especially useful for recognizing the county outline. Following one highway corridor is enough to connect the county seat with the Texas-border side of Love County.
State Highway 32 supplies the main east-west line through Marietta. It continues toward Jefferson County on the west and Marshall County on the east. State Highway 76 helps locate Leon farther west, while Burneyville lies south of Highway 32 in the western interior. Lebanon appears near the eastern edge. Thinking of I-35 as the north-south spine and Highway 32 as the east-west reference makes the rest of the road network easier to read.
Marietta connects directly with Thackerville and Leon on the city map
The city-connections map uses Marietta as the hub and compares it with Thackerville and Leon. The measurements are straight-line distances rather than driving mileage. Thackerville is shown about 10 miles from Marietta, while Leon is about 18 miles away. The difference reflects the county’s shape: Thackerville is directly south along the I-35 corridor, whereas Leon lies well to the west.
Marietta and Thackerville share a simple transportation relationship because both sit near I-35 and U.S. 77. Leon belongs to a different part of the county around State Highway 76 and the western hills. The contrast is also visible on the elevation map. Terrain generally lowers toward Thackerville and the Red River, while the Leon side contains more pronounced ridges and creek valleys.
The Oklahoma Historical Society identifies Marietta, Leon, and Thackerville as Love County’s three incorporated towns. Burneyville and Overbrook remain useful historical and postal place names on the broader county map. Population-style figures printed on the supplied city graphic should be treated as reference values rather than current estimates. Anyone needing current totals should use the latest U.S. Census Bureau data.
The Red River shapes the southern boundary while bayous descend from the hills
The Red River is the defining water feature along the south. It forms the Oklahoma-Texas boundary and gives Love County’s southern edge its strongly curved outline. The Oklahoma Historical Society notes that the Red River and its tributaries drain the entire county. The map makes that relationship easy to see, especially around the southwestern bends and the Thackerville projection.
Simon Creek and Walnut Bayou are prominent in the west and west-central interior. They follow lower valleys through higher rolling terrain before descending toward the Red River. Smaller tributaries around Burneyville feed the same general system. Historical accounts add context to this landscape: trading posts were established around Walnut Bayou in the 1830s, when local waterways and Red River crossings were important to commerce.
The eastern side has a denser stream pattern. Hickory Creek and Oil Creek cut through the east-central hills, while Foggy Creek follows another valley close to the eastern boundary. Lake Murray appears near the northeastern part of the map, and the larger water system beyond the eastern edge connects toward Lake Texoma. Leeper Lake provides a smaller landmark in the southern projection near Thackerville.
This water map is intended for geographic reference, not flood, navigation, or property decisions. It does not show flood probability, water depth, streamflow, water quality, safe boating conditions, or legal boundaries. Current USGS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, state, and local information should be used for those decisions around the Red River, Lake Murray, Lake Texoma, and smaller streams.
Elevation from about 186 to 310 meters separates western hills from river lowlands
The elevation map gives Love County an actual range of about 186 to 310 meters, with a mean near 242 meters. The strongest brown uplands occupy the western and west-central interior, with additional short ridges farther north. Dark green lowlands follow the Red River and spread through the eastern creek valleys. The county’s total relief is moderate, but the close spacing of ridges and channels produces a noticeably rolling landscape.
The Leon and Burneyville side contains some of the most continuous high ground. Simon Creek and Walnut Bayou cut lower corridors through these uplands. On the road map, State Highways 32 and 76 cross what can look like broad rural country; the elevation map reveals that the terrain is repeatedly divided by small ridges and valleys.
Marietta occupies an intermediate setting between the western hills and lower eastern drainage country. Traveling south on I-35 toward Thackerville brings increasingly low terrain as the highway approaches the Red River. East of Marietta, Hickory Creek and Oil Creek carve low channels between shorter hills. Comparing those directions shows why the county is best described as rolling rather than uniformly flat.
This elevation surface is suitable for county-scale comparison only. It should not be used to establish exact parcel elevation, road grade, drainage design, building elevations, or legal survey boundaries. Those uses require more precise source data and professional field measurements when appropriate.
Chickasaw history and Red River crossings shaped early Love County
The area’s history predates Oklahoma statehood by many decades. The Oklahoma Historical Society explains that present-day Love County was part of Pickens County in the Chickasaw Nation during the Indian Territory period. Ferries and Red River crossings connected the region with Texas markets, and traders including Abel Warren and Holland Coffee established posts around Walnut Bayou in the 1830s.
Love County was named for Overton Love, a prominent Chickasaw farmer, entrepreneur, and public official. He settled in the area in the nineteenth century and operated extensive agricultural and cattle interests on Red River bottomland. Delegates from his district at the 1906 Constitutional Convention chose to honor him in the county name, which became official when Oklahoma entered the Union in 1907.
Marietta’s development was closely tied to rail transportation. The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built north from the Texas line in 1887, helping create the town that later became the county seat. The modern I-35 corridor follows the same broad north-south geography. Looking at the road map today, it is easy to see why Marietta remains the central service point between northern Oklahoma routes and Red River crossings.
Use Marietta to compare the Thackerville lowlands with Leon’s western hills
Marietta connects the map layers particularly well. I-35 and U.S. 77 provide the main road references, State Highway 32 crosses the city, and several stream valleys divide the surrounding terrain. On the elevation map, Marietta lies between the strongest western uplands and the lower southern and eastern areas, making it a useful checkpoint for comparing different parts of Love County.
Heading south toward Thackerville is the simpler comparison. I-35 follows the narrow county extension toward the Red River, and the terrain gradually becomes lower. Leeper Lake and several small streams appear in the southern portion. The city-connections map places Thackerville about 10 straight-line miles from Marietta, reinforcing the compact north-south relationship.
Heading west toward Leon produces a different landscape. State Highway 32 crosses progressively hillier country, and State Highway 76 provides the local reference near Leon. Simon Creek and Walnut Bayou use the lower corridors between ridges. Comparing this western route with the Thackerville direction shows how much terrain can change across a relatively small border county.
Choose the Love County map that fits the task
For roads, towns, and the county outline, begin with the general map. Find Marietta first, follow I-35 and U.S. 77 south to Thackerville, then use State Highway 32 to place Burneyville, Leon, and the eastern side. The city-connections map is cleaner when the goal is simply to compare the direction and spacing of Marietta, Thackerville, and Leon.
For physical geography, start with the Red River on the water map and then add Walnut Bayou, Simon Creek, and Hickory Creek. Open the elevation map next and compare the same areas. The western uplands appear in brown, while the river edge and eastern stream valleys are lower and greener.
The web previews are useful for quick reference. The downloadable ZIP contains high-resolution JPG versions of the county-and-road, city-connections, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps for printing, classroom use, local-history materials, or presentations. They are general geographic resources rather than parcel maps, live navigation products, flood studies, engineering plans, or professional surveys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest place to start on a Love County map?
Marietta is the best starting point because it is the county seat and sits at Interstate 35 and State Highway 32. From Marietta, Thackerville is easy to locate to the south, while Burneyville and Leon provide western references.
Are the 10- and 18-mile labels on the city map driving distances?
No. The labels from Marietta to Thackerville and Leon are straight-line distances. Actual driving mileage depends on the road route and will generally be longer than a direct map connection.
Can the 186–310 meter elevation range be used for surveying?
No. The range is a county-scale reference for comparing western hills with lower river and creek valleys. Parcel elevations, drainage design, construction, road grades, and legal surveys require more precise data and professional measurements when appropriate.
Map File Information
Download Love County road, city, water, and elevation maps together as high-resolution JPG files.
- Included Files: Use only the versions confirmed in the article and supplied images
- File Type: Use the confirmed download contents
- Intended Use: Printing, education, presentations, and map-based projects
Related Maps
Sources and References
- Oklahoma Historical Society – Love County
- Oklahoma Historical Society – Marietta
- Love County Government – About Love County
- U.S. Census Bureau – TIGER/Line Shapefiles
- USGS – National Hydrography
- USGS – 3D Elevation Program
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data. These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
