1953 Map of Pigeon Bay

About this map

The Atchafalaya Floodway dominates this mid-century landscape at the border of Iberville and St. Martin parishes. This area is a complex web of wetlands and waterways, defined by the East Protection Levee which serves as a hard boundary between the wilder basin and the narrow strip of development along the Grand River. Near the levee, the Grand River Sch and a Gaging Station mark the local community's adaptation to this aqueous environment. The map records a dense network of hydrologic features including the wide Pigeon Bay and curiously named channels like Graveyard Bayou and Bloody Bayou. Inland industry is represented by the Superior Canal and various pipelines, while the myriad bayous—from Bayou Maringouin to Sorrel Bayou—illustrate the natural drainage patterns of the Louisiana swamp before extensive modern alteration.