1971 Map of Pass Tante Phine

About this map

Oil Field operations and intricate marshland waterways dominate this 1971 orthophotomap of the Mississippi River Delta region. The landscape is a complex network of natural and engineered features, where established navigation routes like Tiger Pass, Spanish Pass, and Red Pass cut through the coastal wetlands. The transition from terrestrial marsh to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico is marked by prominent landmarks such as Sandy Point and several protected bodies of water including Sandy Point Bay and Bay Coquette. Industrial development is evident through a widespread system of pipelines and numerous oil wells that punctuate the coastal shelf. This survey provides a literal photographic look at the delta's fragile geography before decades of coastal erosion further altered the reach of Chawee Bay and the surrounding Oil and Gas Field infrastructure.