1934 Map of Grand Bayou

About this map

The low-lying coastal marshes of Cameron Parish are defined by the intricate hydrology of the Grand Bayou system, where the North Prong, East Prong, and South Prong converge before reaching Lambert Lake and Calcasieu Lake. In the 1930s, human settlement was concentrated along narrow elevated ribbons of land like Front Ridge and High Island, which provided the only stable ground for agriculture and transit. Along State Highway No 42, a sequence of community landmarks reveals the social fabric of the era, including Creole Sch, Creole Ch, and St Theresa Ch. This survey, compiled in part from early Air Corps aerial photography, illustrates the stark contrast between the uninhabited tidal wetlands and the linear settlements of the Gulf of Mexico coastline, where small outposts like Chartelyou and Moore Sch anchored local life.