1934 Map of Catfish Lake

About this map

Catfish Lake and the complex wetlands of Grand Lake define this coastal Louisiana landscape, where the tides and bayous dictated human movement in the mid-1930s. Small outposts like Catfish and Betty sit along the northern shore, while the interior is accessible only by water via the Mermentau River and winding channels like Cut Around Bayou. The existence of a Pirogue Trail south of Little Pecan Lake highlights the traditional Acadian and Cajun reliance on shallow-draft boats to navigate the marshy interior between Lake Islands and Long Island.