Forgotten Houma (Paperback)

Rachel E. Cherry

ISBN 10: 1467113123 / ISBN 13: 9781467113120

Published by Arcadia Publishing (SC), 2015

Paperback. Houma officially became the seat of Terrebonne Parish in 1848; however, the area known as "terre bonne" ("the good earth") was inhabited much earlier. The Houma tribe settled the land as early as 1760, Arcadian French settlers arrived by 1785, Spanish settlers by 1790, and wealthy English landowners established the area's first plantations in 1828. Agriculture, hunting, and fishing activities such as oyster harvesting and shrimp drying were prominent occupations in the parish until the oil and gas industry took hold of the economy in the 1920s. Seemingly endless waterways, marshes, and bays, coupled with fertile farmland and oil production, helped foster Houma's lucrative economy; likewise, a blend of customs, traditions, and natural disasters have shaped its unique culture. Forgotten Houma uses vintage photographs to capture the community before modernization and destruction, awakening the spirits of former residents and the memories of earlier ways of life. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781467113120

Synopsis:

Houma officially became the seat of Terrebonne Parish in 1848; however, the area known as terre bonne (the good earth) was inhabited much earlier. The Houma tribe settled the land as early as 1760, Arcadian French settlers arrived by 1785, Spanish settlers by 1790, and wealthy English landowners established the area's first plantations in 1828. Agriculture, hunting, and fishing activities such as oyster harvesting and shrimp drying were prominent occupations in the parish until the oil and gas industry took hold of the economy in the 1920s. Seemingly endless waterways, marshes, and bays, coupled with fertile farmland and oil production, helped foster Houma's lucrative economy; likewise, a blend of customs, traditions, and natural disasters have shaped its unique culture. Forgotten Houma uses vintage photographs to capture the community before modernization and destruction, awakening the spirits of former residents and the memories of earlier ways of life.

About the Author: Rachel Cherry, the executive director of Southdown Plantation House/The Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society, has been a writer and historian in the coastal parishes of south Louisiana for more than eight years. Photographs in this collection appear courtesy of the Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society, the United Houma Nation, and other private collections.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Forgotten Houma (Paperback)
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (SC)
Publication Date: 2015
Binding: Paperback
Condition: new