1958 Map of Main Pass

About this map

Octave Pass and a labyrinth of smaller waterways define this 1958 look at the shifting marshes of the Mississippi River Delta. Compiled from aerial photography by the Air Corps, the landscape is a network of distributaries and bays including Delta Pass, Grants Pass, and Wiltz Pass. The map reveals the intricate water economy of the delta, where isolated features like the Duck Club point to the area's use by hunters and outdoorsmen. Extensive ponds named for local wildlife, such as Snow Goose Bayou, Blue Goose Pond, and Blackbird Pond, fill the spaces between the larger passes. Near Timber Island and Bienvenue Pass, the geography transitions into the open waters of Breton Sound, illustrating the fragile boundary between the mainland marsh and the Gulf of Mexico.