1953 Map of Mobile

About this map

The Central Gulf Coast is mapped here in the early 1950s, detailing the maritime and military infrastructure of Mobile and Biloxi before the massive expansion of the modern interstate system. The landscape is defined by the proximity of the De Soto National Forest and the strategic positioning of Keesler AFB and Brookley AFB. Along the Mississippi Sound, a string of coastal settlements including Pass Christian, Gulfport, and Ocean Springs are connected by U S Highway 90, while the barrier islands like Ship Island and Dauphin Island protect the inner bays. To the west, the map reaches the industrial fringes of New Orleans at Lake Pontchartrain, illustrating a complex network of bayous and marshes such as Bayou La Batre and Lake Borgne that supported the region's historical fishing and shipping economies.