1974 Map of Plumb Bayou

About this map

Industrial expansion meets the complex marshlands of coastal Louisiana in this 1974 orthophotomap. The landscape is a detailed network of natural waterways and man-made infrastructure, where Pipeline corridors and straight-cut Canals intersect the winding paths of Plumb Bayou and Creole Bayou. The southern reach of the map is dominated by the open waters of Atchafalaya Bay and Fourleague Bay, separated by the strategically located Halters Island (Rabbit Island). This era of the Gulf Coast is defined by heavy energy extraction, evidenced by the sprawling footprints of the West Deer Island Oil Field and the Halters Island Oil and Gas Field. Numerous Platforms and Drill Holes are visible across the wetlands, illustrating the intensity of offshore and marsh-based oil and gas operations. Small landmarks like Halters Island Point Light provide essential navigation aids for vessels threading through Creole Pass amidst the encroaching tide and shifting silt.