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1892 Map of Barataria

Name: 1892 Topographic Map of Barataria
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1931
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1931

About this map

Barataria sits at the heart of this coastal wetland landscape, where the intricate network of waterways defined the life and transport of the late nineteenth century. The map reveals the sinuous paths of Bayou Perot and Bayou Rigolettes as they snake through the marsh towards the southern basins. To the west, the expansive Lake Ouacha or Salvador dominates the horizon, while the eastern edge is marked by a narrow strip of development along the Mississippi River, including the tracks of the N. O. F. J. & G. I. R. R.

This 1891 survey, compiled from Land Office and Coast and Geodetic Survey data, documents a hydraulic world of bays and islands. Curious local nomenclature appears in features like John the Fool Island and Bayou des Amoureux. The convergence of Jefferson, Plaquemines, and Lafourche parishes illustrates the political geography of a region where land and water are constantly in flux, supporting a remote economy of fishing and river trade.