1945 Map of Cocodrie

About this map

Bay Cocodrie and the intricate coastal wetlands of Terrebonne Parish are captured here during a period of extensive aerial surveying by the U.S. Army Air Corps. This 1945 sheet, compiled from mid-1930s field examinations, reveals a landscape defined by an complex network of interconnected waterways and marshlands. Significant bodies of water like Bay Sainte Elaine and Tambour Bay dominate the southern portion of the quadrangle, connected to the larger Terrebonne Bay by natural passes such as Ste Elaine Pass. The map meticulously details the labyrinth of bayous, including Petit Bayou, Pumpkin Bayou, and the curiously named Bay Touch-Me-Not. This record is vital for understanding the historical geomorphology of the Louisiana coast before modern coastal erosion significantly altered these shorelines, showing the precise locations of landmarks like Cooke Pt and the Tambour Cutoff.