1893 Map of Fort Livingston

About this map

Ft. Livingston stands as the primary landmark on Grande Terre Island, guarding the entrance to Barataria Bay during the late nineteenth century. This coastal survey reveals a landscape almost entirely defined by water and marsh, with an official note indicating the entire area sits less than five feet above sea level. The intricate network of saltwater passages includes Grand Pass and Quatre Bayou Pass, which served as vital maritime conduits between the protected bays and the Gulf of Mexico. Beyond the military fortifications, the map identifies small island clusters like Bird Ids. and Shell Ids., alongside named coastal features such as Pelican Pt. and Pt. Peiro. The cartography captures a complex estuarine system of bayous and basins, including Lake Grande Ecaille and Bay Batiste, long before modern coastal erosion significantly altered these shorelines.