1952 Map of Southwest Pass

About this map

Burrwood stands as a focal point of maritime infrastructure at the southernmost tip of Plaquemines Parish, where the Mississippi River meets the open sea. This post-war survey illustrates a landscape dominated by the essential aids to navigation that protected one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The map captures a high density of specialized facilities, including the Pilot Station and the Old Tower Southwest Pass Light, which supported vessels transitioning between the river and the Gulf of Mexico. Beyond the industrial corridor of the Southwest Pass, the map details extensive conservation and military zones. The Tern Islands Reservation and a designated Bird Sanctuary border the shipping channel, illustrating the environmental sensitivity of these coastal wetlands. To the west, Stake Island and West Bay show the vast, shifting amphibious terrain of the delta before the onset of significant modern erosion and sea-level rise.