1950 Map of New Orleans

About this map

The Mississippi River defines the landscape of this mid-century survey, snaking through New Orleans and its surrounding parishes. The map reveals the intricate water management and transportation systems of the era, from the heavy industrial infrastructure of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal and Harvey Canal to the sprawling rail networks of the Illinois Central and Southern Pacific. Urban density in the city core contrasts sharply with the wetlands of Jefferson and St. Charles Parishes, where the Line of Demarcation Between Salt Marsh and Fresh Marsh is noted.