1964 Map of Black Bay

About this map

Pointe a la Hache and the settlements along the Mississippi River corridor anchor the southwestern edge of this amphibious landscape. This mid-1960s revision by the Mississippi River Commission details a complex web of marshes and lagoons where land and water are inextricably linked. The map records the industrial footprint of the era, marked by the extensive Black Bay Oil and Gas Field and the North Black Bay Oil Field, which punctuate the open waters of Black Bay. To the west, the riverbank is dotted with local landmarks like Our Lady of Lourdes Ch and the Bohemia Cem, serving the small communities of Happy Jack and Encalade. Beyond the levee, the map dissolves into a labyrinth of named passes and bays, such as Dead Duck Pass and Bay Gardene, illustrating the dynamic nature of the Plaquemines Parish coastline before decades of coastal erosion further altered these marshy boundaries.