1940 Map of Belle Chasse

About this map

Mississippi River meanders through this 1938 survey, revealing a landscape defined by the heavy industry and agricultural engineering of coastal Louisiana. The western bank is anchored by Belle Chasse, where the Sea Train Terminal and the Missouri Pacific railroad tracks suggest a bustling mid-century transit hub. Across the water, the dramatic bend at English Turn gives way to settlements like Braithwaite and St Clair, which are bordered by an extensive network of drainage projects. A complex system of waterways, including the Stella Canal, Promised Land Canal, and Caernarvon Canal, illustrates the effort to manage the marshy terrain between the river and Lake Lery. This map captures the region before extensive modern levee and canal modifications, showing how rail lines like the Louisiana Southern and Southern connected riverside communities through the wetlands.