Louisiana has a long history with oysters. Go into any restaurant around New Orleans (and surrounding areas) and you’ll find them on the menu. The famous dish, Oysters Rockefeller was invented at Antoine’s, New Orleans’ oldest restaurant. Before the BP oil spill in 2010, Louisiana was the largest producer of oysters in the United States.
The oyster industry employees thousands of people right here in Louisiana, and has done so for centuries. Let’s take a look at what life was like for an Oyster fisherman almost a hundred years ago.
- Boats line up to unload their catches for the day. Taken between 1890-1901.
Library of Congress
- Terrebonne shrimpers unload their catches. Taken between 1934-1941.
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- Ice is being loaded into a shrimp boat in Morgan City, around 1938.
Library of Congress
- Gotta have lots of ice to make sure the seafood doesn’t spoil!
Library of Congress
- Oyster shipper making out tags to attach to bags of oysters, 1938.
Library of Congress
- Sacking oysters in Olga, LA 1938.
Library of Congress
- Unloading oysters is a good workout! Taken in 1938.
Library of Congress
- Good day’s work being hauled in, 1938.
Library of Congress
- You’re never too young to learn the family trade, right? This young boy takes a break near some oyster bags (1930s)
Library of Congress
- Oyster shuckers in 1911.
Library of Congress
- Unloading for the day in New Orleans 1938.
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- Shucking shed in 1911.
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- Unloading oysters from a packet boat arriving in New Orleans (1938).
Library of Congress For more vintage pictures, check out our vintage Mardi Gras post here or click here for vintage photos from World War II.
Library of Congress
Wikimedia Commons
For more vintage pictures, check out our vintage Mardi Gras post here or click here for vintage photos from World War II.
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