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1949 Map of Cubits Gap

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Cubits Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Mississippi River silt and currents define the shifting marshlands of Plaquemines Parish in this 1930s-era field study. The landscape is a labyrinth of waterways, where the Grand Pass and Tiger Bayou weave through Jaquines Island, creating a complex delta environment. Human activity is concentrated along the riverbanks, most notably at Pilot Town and the Old Quarantine Sta, highlighting the area's critical role in maritime navigation and public health at the entrance to the American interior.

Remote water bodies like Oil Mine Pond, Whiskey Pond, and Zinzin Bay suggest a history of localized industry and naming conventions tied to the unique geography of the Gulf coast. The map also records specialized features such as Cubits Gap and the Head of Passes, locations where the river begins its final split into the bird's foot delta. This detailed surveying, compiled from aerial photography, captures the intricate transition between land and sea before the modern era of coastal erosion and large-scale levee modification.