1954 Map of Mitchell Keys

About this map

Mitchell Keys and the surrounding marshy archipelagos of St. Bernard Parish are documented here during a period of transition, compiled from mid-1930s aerial photography and field exams. The map reveals the intricate coastline of the Mississippi River Delta's outer reaches, where the waters of Chandeleur Sound meet protected inlets like Cranetown Bay and Fox Bay. Navigational features such as Elephant Pt Pass and Keelboat Pass highlight the maritime nature of this landscape, which relied heavily on water-based travel and fishing. The presence of named landforms like Martin Island and Holmes Is suggests significant landmarks for local mariners and hunters in a region defined by shifting silts and tidal flow. This survey serves as a vital record of the Louisiana coast's configuration before significant twentieth-century subsidence and erosion altered these barrier features.