1953 Map of Bridgehead

About this map

Civil War Trenches and historic earthworks at Spanish Fort and Fort McDermott define the high ground overlooking the delta, reflecting this landscape’s strategic military importance. The eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay transitions from the marshy lowlands of Blakeley Island and the Apalachee River to the settled bluffs of Bridgehead and The Village. This mid-century coastal survey documents the convergence of historical routes, showing the Old Spanish Trail meeting the Cochrane Bridge over the complex network of the Tensaw River and Chacaloochee Bay. Significant for genealogists, the map locates the Blakeley Cem near the site of the former town of Blakeley, as well as the D'Olive Cem further south near Park City. This interplay of tidal wetlands and established upland communities illustrates the region’s development before major modern expansion.