1954 Map of Pass Du Bois

About this map

Pass Du Bois and the surrounding marshlands of Plaquemines Parish are shown here as they appeared in the mid-1930s during a field examination by the U.S. Geological Survey. The landscape is dominated by the sprawling waters of West Bay and the open Gulf of Mexico, illustrating the delicate, shifting geography of the Mississippi River Delta. Notable water features like La Graisse wind through the coastal wetlands, providing a detailed record of the shoreline and hydrology before decades of coastal erosion altered the region. Compiled from aerial photography taken by the U.S. Army Air Corps, this survey captures the intricate network of natural bayous and passes that once defined this southernmost reach of Louisiana, offering a baseline for researchers studying the historical state of the gulf coast.