A Brief History of Houma

Evidence of European-American occupation of present-day Houma dates to the first years of the nineteenth century. Some time prior to 1803, Joseph Hache received a Spanish land grant, which was confirmed and recognized by the U.S. Senate in 1823. The previous year, Terrebonne (“good earth”) Parish was founded. Houma, the parish seat, was originally established in 1834 and was incorpo-rated in 1848. Settlers to the area were of French, German, Italian, English, and African ancestry.

Located on the Gulf of Mexico, Terrebonne Parish became a center for seafood. The southern region of the area was historically home to hunters, trappers, and fishermen, while the northern region sup-ported sugar plantations and the timber industry. Centrally located, Houma represented a natural convergence of cultural and ethnic diversity. Before 1855, when the New Orleans, Opelousas, and Great Western Railroad came to Terrebonne Parish, transportation around Houma was reliant on the waterways and the Price-Hine and Company Stageline.