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1957 Map of Breton Sound

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Breton Sound
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

The Mississippi River creates the defining geometry of this 1957 coastal survey, carving through the marshlands as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico. Along its banks, a string of historic river settlements such as Pointe a la Hache, Bohemia, and Port Sulphur reflect the region's deep connection to the water and the river-borne economy. To the east, the sprawling waters of Breton Sound and Chandeleur Sound are shielded from the open sea by the arc of the Chandeleur Islands.

Conservation efforts are prominent with the inclusion of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge and the Delta National Wildlife Refuge at the river's mouth. Near the northern reach, industrial and military footprints appear at Chalmette and the U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, while the Southern Railway System provides a vital inland link. The map captures the delicate delta landscape of Lake Lery, Black Bay, and Garden Island Bay before the modern era of significant coastal erosion.