NARROWS (Orange and Newton counties). The Narrows was a term used to describe a stretch between miles twenty and thirty-five of the Sabine River along the Orange-Newton county boundary with Louisiana. There the river divided into the East and West channels, diverting the water flow and making the river more difficult for even shallow-draft boats to navigate. A particularly dangerous stretch in the Narrows was called Dead Bend (or Dead Eddy). Seeking to ease river traffic, the federal government made cuts from the main river at the Narrows and removed a number of sunken logs in 1880-81, thus enabling vessels with up to five-foot drafts to reach Deweyville. In 1889-90 two branches of the Old River were closed to divert more water into the Narrows. Additional snagging was done in 1895 and 1900.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Madeleine Martin, "Ghost Towns of the Lower Sabine River," Texas Gulf Historical and Biographical Record 2 (1966).