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1993 Map of Rigolets

Name: 1993 Topographic Map of Rigolets
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1995
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1995

About this map

The Rigolets serves as the dominant deep-water passage connecting Lake Pontchartrain with Lake Borgne, defining a landscape where the brackish tides of the Gulf of Mexico meet the marshlands of St. Tammany and Orleans Parishes. The historic Fort Pike State Commemorative Area stands at the western entrance to the pass, a site of coastal defense dating back to the early 19th century. To the north, the Pearl River State Wildlife Management Area encompasses a labyrinth of bayous and lagoons, including Honey Island Bayou and Black Bayou.

Family history is preserved at the McKean Cem and the Ridge Memorial Ch along the higher ground of the Ridge. This area, while largely comprised of the expansive Fretchie Marsh and islands like Weems Island, shows the encroachment of modern transit via the Intracoastal Waterway and local settlements such as White Kitchen. The map details a transition from traditional bayou navigation to modern engineered canals like the Geoghegan Canal.