1893 Map of Cat Island

About this map

Cat Island and the surrounding waters of the Mississippi Sound define this coastal landscape at the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. This 1893 edition by the U.S. Geological Survey, based on earlier coastal work by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, meticulously charts the shifting sandbars and islands of the Louisiana-Mississippi border. Landmarks like Cat Island Light at West Point provided essential navigation for maritime traffic moving through the Cat Island Channel toward the Chandeleur Sound. The map reveals an intricate network of waterways and low-lying landforms, including Isle A Pitre, Brush Island, and Sundown Island. These coastal features, many subject to the constant erosion of the Gulf, are recorded here with precision, including small inlets like Spit Cove and the winding Bayou Pierre. The survey highlights a period when maritime navigation and coastal surveying were critical to the development of Gulf trade.