1955 Map of Hahnville

About this map

The Mississippi River defines the industrial and residential spine of this mid-century Louisiana landscape, winding past established communities like Hahnville, Destrehan, and Luling. This survey documents a critical era of flood control and infrastructure, clearly marking the massive Bonnet Carre Floodway and the historical scar of the Davis Crevasse of 1884. To the north, the burgeoning Moisant International Airport near Kenner signals the region's post-war modernization, while the southern reaches remain dominated by the intricate wetlands of Lake Salvador and the New Orleans Netherlands Drainage District. This transition from the high-ground river levees, populated with settlements like Killona and Norco, to the vast marshlands of Lafourche Parish reveals the unique topography that dictated human settlement. The map captures a complex network of bayous, including Bayou Des Allemands, alongside the heavy rail infrastructure of the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Illinois Central Railroad.