The small city of Westwego, located on the west bank of the Mississippi River within Jefferson Parish, has a unique name with a rich history. One reader’s question prompted a closer look at how Westwego got its name and the story behind its development.
Early Maritime Roots
Westwego’s history dates back to a thriving maritime industry. In the 1830s, the Louisiana Legislature chartered the Barataria and Lafourche Canal Company to dig a channel. This ambitious project created a navigable waterway running from the Mississippi River all the way up to present-day Morgan City, passing through Bayou Segnette and connecting with other lakes, channels, and bayous.
As the company made its way to Bayou Lafourche, a lock was built to create the Company Canal waterway. The area’s maritime industry began to grow, and workers drawn by trade became familiar with the area. This early development laid the groundwork for future expansion.
The Railroad and the Naming of Westwego
Though the area’s maritime industry established early roots, Westwego owes its name and significant population growth to later developments, particularly the expansion of the railroad industry.
John Churchill Chase, a New Orleans native, chronicled this in his book Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children and Other Streets of New Orleans. By 1870, the New Orleans, Mobile & Chattanooga Railroad had completed a line to Mobile, but instead of continuing on to Chattanooga, the company decided to expand westward toward Texas…