1935 Map of Belle Isle

About this map

Belle Isle and the surrounding marshlands of Plaquemines Parish appear here during a 1935 field examination, a period when the Louisiana coastline was being documented via early aerial photography by the U.S. Army Air Corps. This coastal landscape is a complex network of wetlands and tidal channels, defined by major water bodies like Black Bay and California Bay. The map highlights the shifting nature of the delta, where landforms like Stone Island and landmarks such as Telegraph Point provided essential navigation markers for those working these waters. The presence of numerous passes and bayous, including Bel La Pass, Julius Bayou, and the aptly named Bayou Lost, illustrates the intricate hydrology of the region before significant modern coastal erosion and engineering altered the footprint of the marsh.