1953 Map of Calumet Island

About this map

East Timbalier Island and the surrounding marshy archipelagos of Timbalier Bay dominate this coastal survey. The landscape is defined by the tension between wildlife conservation and industrial expansion during the mid-20th century, particularly within the East Timbalier Island Reservation. Infrastructure for the Timbalier Bay Oil Field is prominent, featuring a complex network of pipelines, submerged pipelines, and numerous oil tanks. To the north, Casse-Tete Island and Calumet Island provide a clear view of the fragmented shoreline before modern erosion and subsidence further altered the Louisiana coast. This sheet illustrates the specific mid-century period when remote offshore wells and storage tanks began to populate the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, mapping a geography where navigable waterways and industrial utility intersect.