1954 Map of Belle Isle

About this map

Patterson and the surrounding coastal marshlands of St. Mary Parish are depicted here during a period of significant hydraulic engineering and industrial development. The Southern Pacific rail line and U.S. Highway 90 form the primary transport corridor, passing through established plantation landscapes such as Waveland Plantation and Luckland Plantation. The map reveals the intricate network of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Wax Lake Outlet, demonstrating how mid-century flood control efforts by the Corps of Engineers reshaped the natural flow of the Atchafalaya River and Bayou Teche. For local historians and genealogists, the map provides precise locations for the Jerusalem Church, North Bend Cem, and the Midway School, alongside industrial landmarks like the Belle Isle Oil Field and the Harry P Williams Airport. The southern reaches of the sheet transition into the complex bayous and islands of Atchafalaya Bay, dominated by the prominent elevation of Belle Isle.