Rare Old Map of Avery Island, Louisiana by USGS, 1937: Weeks Island, Vermilion Bay & Lake Peigneur
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1963 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in the EU
Restored from the original 1963 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
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Titled “Derouen,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents the Avery Island region of southern Louisiana at the detailed 1:62,500 scale....
Continue readingTitled “Derouen,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents the Avery Island region of southern Louisiana at the detailed 1:62,500 scale. Published with survey data from 1937 and reprinted in 1963, it preserves a carefully measured view of the Gulf Coast landscape before many later episodes of industrial expansion, highway development, and coastal change. The map centers on one of Louisiana’s most distinctive geological curiosities: Avery Island, the famous salt dome rising subtly from surrounding marshes, bayous, agricultural tracts, and low coastal wetlands. Its restrained but information-rich style captures both the practical precision of federal mapping and the atmospheric complexity of a watery, shifting landscape.
The United States Geological Survey was, by the twentieth century, the preeminent American authority in scientific cartography, producing maps that served engineers, geologists, planners, soldiers, and travelers alike. In “Derouen,” the USGS method is evident in the disciplined contouring, clear symbols, and meticulous classification of roads, railways, waterways, forests, and cultivated land. The color scheme is purposeful rather than decorative: blues gather the bayous, lakes, and marsh channels; greens mark wooded or vegetated areas; and contour lines reveal the modest but meaningful relief of a coastal plain where even slight elevation can define settlement, drainage, and industry.
Avery Island dominates the map’s historical and geographic interest. Though called an island, it is in fact a salt dome—a subterranean geological formation that lifts the land above the surrounding marshes. This unusual feature made the place valuable for salt extraction and, famously, for the production of Tabasco sauce by the McIlhenny family. The map’s contour lines quietly convey the island’s raised form, distinguishing it from the watery lowlands nearby. Around it, the intricate network of bayous, drainage channels, and wetlands reflects the ecology of Iberia Parish and the broader Louisiana coastal zone, where land and water interlace in endlessly variable patterns.
The surrounding names extend the story beyond Avery Island: Weeks Island, Vermilion Bay, Lake Fausse Pointe, and Lake Peigneur all situate the map within a region shaped by salt, oil, fisheries, agriculture, and waterborne movement. Roads and railways thread cautiously through the terrain, connecting small settlements, industrial sites, and agricultural lands while negotiating marshes and bayou crossings. The depiction of cultivated fields beside forested tracts and salt marshes evokes a landscape in transition between rural production and extractive enterprise. These details make the map not merely a geographic record, but a portrait of coastal Louisiana’s working environment in the late 1930s.
Seen today, “Derouen” carries particular historical resonance because Louisiana’s coast has changed so dramatically. Wetland loss, subsidence, canal cutting, storms, and industrial development have altered many Gulf Coast landscapes since the surveys on which this map was based. The map therefore offers a valuable snapshot of waterways, shorelines, roads, and land use before several decades of ecological transformation. Its careful rendering of marshes, bayous, and low relief also underscores the fragility of this region: a place where geology, water, commerce, and culture meet. For collectors, it is a refined and revealing document of one of America’s most distinctive coastal environments.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Avery Island
- Weeks Island
- Vermilion Bay
- Lake Fausse Pointe
- Lake Peigneur
- Bayous
- Various roads and railways
- Salt marshes
- Forested areas
- Agricultural lands
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey, this 1:62,500 topographical map uses survey data from 1937 and was reprinted in 1963.
- The map reflects the geography of the area in the late 1930s, offering insight into later ecological and infrastructural changes, including coastal erosion and industrial development.
- It uses color to distinguish land uses and natural features, including blues for water bodies and greens for forested and agricultural areas.
- The map depicts elevation contours and wetland terrain, highlighting the coastal character of the region.
- Avery Island is notable for its salt dome and its association with the Tabasco sauce factory.
Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.
Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.
This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.
Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.
This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.
For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.
Titled “Derouen,” this United States Geological Survey topographical map presents the Avery Island region of southern Louisiana at the detailed 1:62,500 scale. Published with survey data from 1937 and reprinted in 1963, it preserves a carefully measured view of the Gulf Coast landscape before many later episodes of industrial expansion, highway development, and coastal change. The map centers on one of Louisiana’s most distinctive geological curiosities: Avery Island, the famous salt dome rising subtly from surrounding marshes, bayous, agricultural tracts, and low coastal wetlands. Its restrained but information-rich style captures both the practical precision of federal mapping and the atmospheric complexity of a watery, shifting landscape.
The United States Geological Survey was, by the twentieth century, the preeminent American authority in scientific cartography, producing maps that served engineers, geologists, planners, soldiers, and travelers alike. In “Derouen,” the USGS method is evident in the disciplined contouring, clear symbols, and meticulous classification of roads, railways, waterways, forests, and cultivated land. The color scheme is purposeful rather than decorative: blues gather the bayous, lakes, and marsh channels; greens mark wooded or vegetated areas; and contour lines reveal the modest but meaningful relief of a coastal plain where even slight elevation can define settlement, drainage, and industry.
Avery Island dominates the map’s historical and geographic interest. Though called an island, it is in fact a salt dome—a subterranean geological formation that lifts the land above the surrounding marshes. This unusual feature made the place valuable for salt extraction and, famously, for the production of Tabasco sauce by the McIlhenny family. The map’s contour lines quietly convey the island’s raised form, distinguishing it from the watery lowlands nearby. Around it, the intricate network of bayous, drainage channels, and wetlands reflects the ecology of Iberia Parish and the broader Louisiana coastal zone, where land and water interlace in endlessly variable patterns.
The surrounding names extend the story beyond Avery Island: Weeks Island, Vermilion Bay, Lake Fausse Pointe, and Lake Peigneur all situate the map within a region shaped by salt, oil, fisheries, agriculture, and waterborne movement. Roads and railways thread cautiously through the terrain, connecting small settlements, industrial sites, and agricultural lands while negotiating marshes and bayou crossings. The depiction of cultivated fields beside forested tracts and salt marshes evokes a landscape in transition between rural production and extractive enterprise. These details make the map not merely a geographic record, but a portrait of coastal Louisiana’s working environment in the late 1930s.
Seen today, “Derouen” carries particular historical resonance because Louisiana’s coast has changed so dramatically. Wetland loss, subsidence, canal cutting, storms, and industrial development have altered many Gulf Coast landscapes since the surveys on which this map was based. The map therefore offers a valuable snapshot of waterways, shorelines, roads, and land use before several decades of ecological transformation. Its careful rendering of marshes, bayous, and low relief also underscores the fragility of this region: a place where geology, water, commerce, and culture meet. For collectors, it is a refined and revealing document of one of America’s most distinctive coastal environments.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Avery Island
- Weeks Island
- Vermilion Bay
- Lake Fausse Pointe
- Lake Peigneur
- Bayous
- Various roads and railways
- Salt marshes
- Forested areas
- Agricultural lands
Historical context & cartographic details
- Produced by the United States Geological Survey, this 1:62,500 topographical map uses survey data from 1937 and was reprinted in 1963.
- The map reflects the geography of the area in the late 1930s, offering insight into later ecological and infrastructural changes, including coastal erosion and industrial development.
- It uses color to distinguish land uses and natural features, including blues for water bodies and greens for forested and agricultural areas.
- The map depicts elevation contours and wetland terrain, highlighting the coastal character of the region.
- Avery Island is notable for its salt dome and its association with the Tabasco sauce factory.
Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.
Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.
This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.
Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.
This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.
For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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