1956 Map of Bay Tambour

About this map

Southwestern Louisiana Canal cuts through the marshy transition between Lafourche and Jefferson Parishes in this mid-1950s survey. The landscape is a complex network of coastal inlets and bayous, where land is more of a suggestion than a permanent fixture, characterized by points like Martigan Point and isolated landmasses such as Andre Island. The maritime economy and early industrial footprint are evident through scattered Oil Wells and navigational Lights that guided vessels through the intricate waterways of Bay Tambour and Caminada Bay. These interior waters, including Fishermans Bay and Des Ilettes Bay, show the area's historical reliance on water-based transit before significant modern coastal erosion altered these shorelines. The map preserves the specific locations of bayous like Palmetto Bayou and Bayou Casse-Tete as they existed during a period of expanding offshore activity.