1951 Map of Belle Chasse

About this map

The Mississippi River creates a dramatic curve at Twelvemile Point, defining the mid-century industrial and transit corridor south of New Orleans. This landscape is a complex network of man-made waterways and rail infrastructure, where the U.S. Government Railroad and Missouri Pacific lines converge near Belle Chasse. Along the river's eastern bank, small settlements like Braithwaite and Scarsdale sit perched on narrow strips of firm ground, separated from the interior marsh by the Forty Arpent Canal. The eastern half of the quadrangle dissolves into the sprawling wetlands of Big Mar and Lake Lery, threaded by natural features like Cane Ridge Slough and Tigers Chenes. Strategic river-front facilities, including the Sea Train Terminal and US Naval Reservation, highlight the area's maritime importance during the post-war era.