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1958 Map of Heron Bay

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Heron Bay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Mon Louis Island and the marshy reaches of Portersville Bay dominate this coastal landscape, illustrating the intricate network of bayous and sounds in Mobile County during the late 1950s. The map captures a critical transition point for local transit, showing the Bridge (Toll) connecting the mainland at Cedar Point to Dauphin Island across the waters of Grants Pass. This period shows the coastal road network taking shape with Bienville Blvd stretching across the island's northern shore near Lafitte Bay.

Hydrographic details reveal the navigational importance of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Heron Bay Cutoff, which bypassed the traditional winding routes of the West Fowl River and Heron Bayou. Scattered islands like Cat Island and Marsh Island provide a baseline for studying shoreline changes in the Mississippi Sound before late-century coastal development, while a solitary Cem near Negre Bayou serves as a quiet marker of early settlement along the island's forested northern edge.