Terrebonne Parish | US Courthouses

Terrebonne Parish is named for the French words “terre bonne”, meaning “good earth”.

Created: March 22, 1822

Parish Seat:

Bayou Cane 1822 – 1834

Houma 1834 – present

Parish Courthouse – Houma

Location: 7856 West Main Street / Goodie Street

Built: 1937 – 1938

Style: Classical Revival

Architect: Wogan and Bernard

Contractor: Caldwell Brothers and Hart

Description: The building faces north and is a three story stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds with a small park on the north side, in the center of Houma. The north front has a central entrance on the first story with canopy above. On the second story are columns rising to the top of the third story. The roof line is flat. The large courtroom is located on the north side of the second story. The building is connected to the Courthouse Annex on the south side with a second story walkway.

Note: The first parish seat was Bayou Cane. The parish seat was moved to Houma and the first courthouse was built in 1834. The second courthouse was a two story brick structure started in 1860 but not completed until 1875 due to the Civil War. The contractor was Felix Daspit. An addition was constructed in 1892 by James A Kelly. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1937.

Parish Courthouse Annex – Houma

Location: SW – School Street / Goodie Street

Built: 1967 – 1968

Style: Modern

Architect: Rizzo-Thibodeaux & Associates and Gay M Staub

Contractor: Pittman Construction Company, Inc.

Description: The building faces north and is a three story concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Houma on the south side of the courthouse. The building has a number of vertical concrete pillars on the exterior with recessed walls and narrow vertical windows. Wide stairs ascend to the second story. The roof line is flat.

Courthouses:

N – Assumption Parish and Lafourche Parish

E – Lafourche Parish

S – Gulf of Mexico

W – Gulf of Mexico and Saint Mary Parish