1935 Map of Bastian Bay

About this map

Bastian Bay and the surrounding marshlands of Plaquemines Parish reveal a dynamic coastal environment as it existed in the mid-1930s. The landscape is a labyrinth of waterways, where the Grand Bayou serves as a primary artery connecting the interior wetlands to the Gulf of Mexico. Small, isolated settlements or outposts such as Bastian, Wise, Huertes, and De Suite appear along the banks of these bayous, likely serving as focal points for local fishing or trapping activities. The survey details a fragile barrier system including Bastian Island and Shell Island, which separate Bastian Bay and Shell Island Bay from the open sea. This mapping, compiled from aerial photographs, provides an important record of the Louisiana coastline before significant land loss and coastal erosion altered the footprints of places like Bay Chaland and Adams Bay.