1951 Map of New Harbor Islands

About this map

Breton National Wildlife Refuge dominates this coastal landscape, covering a delicate chain of barrier islands off the Louisiana coast. Surveyed in the early 1950s by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, the map documents the fragile shifting sands and low-lying topography of the North Islands and New Harbor Islands. The chart highlights the complex maritime environment where Chandeleur Sound meets the open Gulf of Mexico. These landforms, including Redfish Point, serve as critical markers for navigation and habitat in a region defined by its exposure to the sea. The inclusion of deep-water features like Smack Channel and the shallow reaches of Shoalwater Bay illustrates the dynamic nature of the Mississippi River Delta's eastern edge before decades of coastal erosion further altered these landmasses.