1943 Map of Little Woods

About this map

Lake Pontchartrain defines the northern edge of this coastal landscape, where the marshlands of eastern New Orleans meet the water. During the mid-1930s and early 1940s, a systematic grid of drainage canals including Vincent Canal, Cannon Canal, and Farrar Canal began to define the geography of the lakeside, preparing the area for development. The settlement of Little Woods sits along the Southern Railway corridor following Hayne Boulevard, while further south, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad cuts through the wetlands near Micheaud. The terrain is characterized by a complex network of bayous and lagoons, such as Bayou Sauvage and Blind Lagoon, interspersed with slightly elevated features like Big Oak Island. This map documents a period when the natural hydrology of Orleans Parish was being actively reshaped by industrial infrastructure and road expansion, including Paris Road and Nashville Road.