1941 Map of Empire

About this map

The Mississippi River defines the geography of Plaquemines Parish in the late 1930s, winding through a landscape dominated by marshland, bayous, and a critical river-rail transport corridor. This survey shows the primary settlements concentrated along the New Orleans and Lower Coast River Road, including the industrial hub of Port Sulphur, and the riverfront communities of Empire and Buras. These towns are anchored by the New Orleans and Lower Coast RR, which parallels the levee system. Beyond the protected riverbanks, the land dissolves into a complex network of coastal waters, from Bastian Bay to Quarantine Bay. Local landmarks like the Pt Pleasant Cem and Swartze Sch provide specific points of interest for genealogists tracing family histories in these delta communities before significant coastal erosion changed the shoreline.