1892 Map of St. Bernard

About this map

The Mississippi River creates a dramatic meander at English Turn in this late nineteenth-century survey of the Louisiana wetlands. Following the river's high ground, a string of small settlements and plantations including Saxonholm, Poydras, and St Clair anchor the local economy against the surrounding marsh. The infrastructure of the era is defined by the New Orleans and Gulf Railroad, which branches eastward toward Shell Beach, connecting interior points like Toca and Reggio to the city. To the north, the defensive remains of Battery Bienvenue stand near the confluence of Bayou Bienvenue and Bayou Maxent, marking a strategic site guarding the approach from Lake Borgne. The map also details the Lake Borgne Canal, a vital late-century engineering effort to link the river to the gulf waters.