1953 Map of Bay Dosgris

About this map

Grand Bayou winds through the intricate saltwater marshes of the Louisiana coast in this mid-century survey of the boundary between Lafourche and Jefferson Parishes. This era of the landscape is defined by the burgeoning offshore and coastal energy industry, anchored here by the Bay De Chene Oil Field. The map records an environment of fluid borders where water and land are often indistinguishable, featuring complex systems like the East Fork Bayou l'Ours and the broad waters of Bay Dosgris. Strategic infrastructure for the period is visible through numerous Oil Wells, a prominent Radio Tower, and several Submerged Pipelines that crisscross the bays. These features illustrate the industrialization of the wetlands before significant coastal erosion altered the footprints of places like Hackberry Bay and Mud Lake.