1947 Map of Southwest Pass

About this map

Southwest Pass dominates this coastal landscape at the Mississippi River's mouth, serving as the primary navigational artery into the Gulf. The 1935 field examination reveals an intricate network of waterways including Sullivans Bayou and Customhouse Bayou, illustrating the volatile and ever-shifting nature of the delta prior to mid-century sediment changes. Family-named landmarks like Bob Taylors Pond and distinctive points such as Cockler Pt provide valuable geographic markers for local historians and genealogists studying the lower Plaquemines Parish region. The map details the complex geometry of Dixon Bay, Scott Bay, and West Bay, which define the fragmented marshes and ridges that sustained the maritime and trapping economies of coastal Louisiana. This survey, compiled from Army Air Corps aerial photography, documents the land-water interface at a time when traditional water routes like Grand Pass and Tom Loar Pass remained vital components of the wetland geography.