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1944 Map of Empire

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Empire
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Mississippi River transport and coastal industry define this 1944 survey of the lower Plaquemines Parish delta. The No & LC RR line runs parallel to the river's western bank, connecting riverside settlements like Port Sulphur, Homeplace, Nairn, and Tropical Bend. These communities are protected by an extensive levee system, with the massive Pointe A La Hache Relief Outlet dominating the upper reach.

Southward, the landscape dissolves into a complex network of bays and marshland, including Bastian Bay and Adams Bay. The map captures local landmarks like Ft Pleasant and the Swartze Sch, alongside small settlements such as Empire and Buras. This record shows the region before decades of coastal erosion and modern levee developments, highlighting the precarious balance between the river-based economy and the encroaching waters of the Gulf of Mexico.