1951 Map of Freemason Island

About this map

Freemason Island stands as a narrow ribbon of land within the expansive Chandeleur Sound, serving as a critical anchor for the Breton National Wildlife Refuge. This 1950s maritime survey captures the delicate coastal geography of St. Bernard Parish, where small landforms like Point Neptune and Point Hope provide the only breaks in the open water. The map detail highlights the transient nature of the Louisiana shoreline, documenting features such as Shell Bar and the submerged Old Harbor Island Shoal. By focusing on bathymetry and high-water lines, the survey illustrates the fragile environment of the North Islands and Shoalwater Bay before decades of coastal erosion further altered these barrier features. It is a precise record of a specific island chain used by generations of coastal mariners and conservationists.