1956 Map of Pelican Pass

About this map

Lake Raccourci and Timbalier Bay dominate this coastal landscape in the mid-1950s, revealing an intricate network of marshes and open water. The extraction economy of the Louisiana coast is evident through an extensive Oil Field and multiple scattered Gas Wells and Oil Wells, particularly concentrated in the northern reaches of the bay. Small-scale maritime activity and seasonal camps are marked by features like Jacko Camp and a cluster of ruins on the Philo Brice Islands. The map preserves the complex geography of the marsh before modern coastal erosion, including the curiously named Wrong Name Pass and the long, thin stretch of Casse Tete Island. Marine navigation aids, including various lights and pilings, underscore the navigational challenges of these shallow coastal waters during the post-war era.