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1932 Map of Pecan Island SE

Name: 1932 Topographic Map of Pecan Island SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1932
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1932

About this map

Freshwater Bayou winds through the expansive marshlands of coastal Vermilion Parish, meeting the Gulf of Mexico at a point marked by the Hebert landmark. This 1932 field examination captures the precarious landscape of the Louisiana coast before modern channelization altered much of the region's hydrology. The map details a transition from the open waters of the Gulf to a series of subtle elevations, including Sand Ridge and Shelf Bank, which provided the only stable ground for travel and seasonal settlement.

Transportation in this era relied heavily on the water and traditional routes, evidenced by the Pirogue Trail cutting across the wetlands. The early development of the regional drainage and navigation system is visible through the Louisiana Canal and Belle Isle Canal, which intersect the natural bayous. Named features like Mulberry Island and Beef Ridge stand as distinct terrestrial markers in an otherwise fluid environment of grass and water.