When Oysters Were King

European settlers found oysters abundant in coastal Louisiana. By 1890, Houma oystermen took advantage of ice, expanding railroads, and advances in canning to ship oysters across the nation. Houma boomed in the early 1900s as oyster processing plants flourished along the bayou, and the celebrated Houma oyster surpassed sugar as the city's prime commodity, driving its growth. In 1905, employees and proprietors of C. Cenac and Co. worked along Bayou Terrebonne as thousands of gallons of oyster meat were shipped out daily in ice-packed railroad cars, while discarded shells were used to pave roads and add grit to chicken feed. In that year, 75 million oysters were shipped from Houma. During the industry's peak years, it employed half of Houma's population, and men, women, and children worked long hours during shucking season. Oysters have served both as a staple food for the poor and a delicacy for the rich. Motivatit Seafood produces award-winning Gold Band Oysters in its Houma oyster processing facility.

Houma, Louisiana · United States