Dig Deeper on Choctaw
Houma is the commercial and cultural center for a two-parish area comprising much of the Mississippi Delta extension south into the Gulf of Mexico south of the Mississippi River itself. Houma is deep in the marshlands just a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico and about 40 miles southwest of New Orleans. The swampy lowlands create the Venice-like canals and bayous for which the area is known.
Bayou Cane and Thibodaux are smaller towns to the northwest of no particular interest, but their names suggest the rich Cajun cultural heritage abundant throughout the area. Coastal and marshland wildlife is a major attraction. Economically the area is supported by the oil industry, fishing, shrimp and oyster harvesting. Crime is fairly high for a small town.
The terrain is completely flat with wet marshland, slow-moving creeks (called bayous), and some wooded areas. The climate is humid subtropical and governed by the Gulf of Mexico. Summers are wet, hot, and humid. Winters are cool but not cold and fairly wet.