Westwego is one of Louisiana's fastest growing and safest communities.  We offer great schools, inviting parks and playgrounds, many services for seniors and others, and quick, convenient access to downtown New Orleans.  In addition, Westwego boasts a real sense of community with friendly neighbors, a thriving cultural and arts scene, and abundant natural beauty for fishing, sports, and other outdoor activities.


Click here for the City's Offical Website -  www.CityofWestwego.com

Click here for a downloadable copy of our community brochure

  HISTORY
The area of Westwego, Louisiana was inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years before Europeans settled here.  These indigenous people created huge shells middens that can still be seen in the vicinity today.  The French first developed the area in 1719 when French Minister of State LeBlanc started a plantation and a port along the Mississippi River.  The port became an important site in the history of the transatlantic slave trade.  The estate was later owned by the Zeringue family who turned it into bustling sugar plantation, known as Seven Oaks.  Planter Camille Zeringue built a canal at the plantation that played a prominent role in the community's history for decades.  Other antebellum plantations in the area included the Whitehouse Plantation, Magnolia Lane, and the LaBranche Plantation among others.  After Camille Zeringue's death, Seven Oaks was owned by Pablo Sala who divided the property along the canal into lots, which he sold for $40 each.  Many of these lots were purchased by displaced hurricane victims from Cheniere Caminada whose homes were destroyed in the great unnamed 1893 storm.  With the addition of these families, who were mostly fisherman and trappers, the community of Salaville was born. 

Salaville grew and the local railroad barons coined the name "Westwego."   A number of industries grew around the City's wetlands and bayous, including those involving fisheries, shrimping, the canning of seafood, etc. Westwego was incorporated as a city in 1951 as it's population continued to grow and grow.  Within the last decade, Westwego has taken on a profound number of historical restoration projects, inspired by historian Daniel P. Alario, Sr. The Salaville Historic District continues to emerge as one of the nation's greatest examples of downtown revitalization, a process that actively continues today.

 WESTWEGO TODAY
Today Westwego, Louisiana is a strong, progressive community of over 12,000 citizens with a responsible city government, excellent schools, and a police force that is second to none.  Award winning fire departments and emergency medical services keep residents safe and secure, while inviting parks and playgrounds create a wholesome, healthy environment for family life.  A thriving cultural community can be found in Salaville, Westwego's Historic District, which boasts a historical museum, arts center, and performing arts theater among other attractions.  With quick, easy access to New Orleans via multiple nearby bridges and ferries spanning the Mississippi River, Westwego is an ideal place to call home.  Visit Westwego today!

 MAJOR ATTRACTIONS                         

www.CityofWestwego.com