1951 Map of North Islands

About this map

Chandeleur Islands form a slender, shifting crescent of land on this 1951 survey, serving as a critical boundary between the open Gulf of Mexico and the sheltered waters of the Chandeleur Sound. The map captures the complex, fragmented shoreline of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge, illustrating a coastal landscape defined by small inlets and marshy outcrops. The northern reach of the archipelago, designated as the North Islands, shows a terrain dominated by sand and coastal vegetation. Navigation through these remote waters is marked by features like Smack Channel and the protected pocket of Shoalwater Bay, providing a detailed view of the Louisiana coast before decades of major storm events altered these fragile barrier islands.