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1958 Map of Breton Island

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Breton Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Breton National Wildlife Refuge and the Delta National Wildlife Refuge dominate this coastal landscape, capturing the intricate deltaic transition between the Gulf of Mexico and Breton Sound. In the late 1950s, this region was a critical intersection of conservation and industrial expansion. The map shows the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Channel under construction, a massive engineering project designed to provide a shorter shipping route to New Orleans.

Southward, the delta breaks into a maze of lagoons and channels like Main Pass and Octave Pass. These waters are punctuated by the infrastructure of the energy industry, including the Romere Pass Oil and Gas Field and several offshore platforms. Coastal landmarks such as the Breton Island Light and Cubits Gap Main Pass Lt served as vital navigation aids for mariners navigating the shifting silts and countless ponds, such as Willow Outside Pond and Bennies Pond.