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1936 Map of Rigolets

Name: 1936 Topographic Map of Rigolets
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Fort Pike stands as a sentinel at the passage between Lake Pontchartrain and Lake St Catherine, marking a critical juncture in the waterborne defenses of New Orleans. This mid-1930s coastal landscape is defined by the complex hydrology of The Rigolets and the multi-channeled discharge of the Pearl River, which splits into the West Pearl River, Middle River, and East Pearl River. The map reveals the intricate delta environment of Honey Island and the expansive Grand Plains, where land and water blur through a network of bayous like Mulatto Bayou and Salt Bayou.

Transport history is etched into the marsh, from the Louisville & Nashville Railroad crossing near Claiborne to the path of Highway No 90. Historical survey data is preserved through various meander lines, such as the Meander Line 1828-29, offering a rare record of how these shorelines shifted over a century before modern stabilization. Navigation aids, including the West Rigolets Lighthouse and numerous beacons in Lake Borgne, highlight the area's ongoing importance for Gulf Coast maritime traffic.