1957 Map of Breton Sound

About this map

The Mississippi River Delta fans out into the Gulf of Mexico, revealing a complex network of bayous, passes, and marshes in the mid-20th century. This survey documents the critical transition from the urban density of New Orleans to the remote coastal fringes of the Chalmette National Historical Park and beyond. The map provides an essential record of early industrial and transit development, featuring the Southern Railway System and the emerging Gulf Outlet Canal. Along the river's lower reaches, historical military outposts like Fort Jackson and Fort St Philip stand as sentinels near the bird-foot delta. Further east, the sweeping arc of the Chandeleur Islands and the Breton Islands illustrates the fragile barrier island system before decades of coastal erosion. Inhabitants of Plaquemines Parish and St Bernard Parish are represented by river-bound settlements such as Pointe a la Hache, Phoenix, and Buras.