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 Imagine
yourself in Washington, Louisiana. It is the
year 1825. Washington is a bustling steamboat
port where travelers from the east board the
stagecoach line for all points to the western
frontier.
Dockside
is alive with activity. Workers are scurrying to
load and unload cargo from steamboats, barges
and wagons. Billowing steamboats traveled to
Washington bringing manufactured goods from
points around the globe for local plantations,
homesteaders: - trappers and townspeople. Window
glass, pots and pans are transported in heavy
crates from the East, Fine china and bolts of
cotton cloth arrive from England. Boots, silk,
garden seed, champagne, ball gowns and guns
arrive from France. Cuba sends "Havana
Segars".
 From
New Orleans come barrels of pork and beef, lard,
flour, hams and limes. The "Big Easy"
also supplies the essentials -wine, whiskey,
cognac and coffee beans.
Steamboats take passengers, cotton, sugar,
molasses, lumber, animal hides, indigo and new
barrels to New Orleans. From New Orleans, these
passengers ,and goods are loaded on large
'seagoing schooners to be taken to distant
ports.
 Construction
on the Steamboat Warehouse began in 1819 and was
completed around 1823. Of the original seven
warehouses operating on the banks of Bayou
Courtableau, formerly known as the Opelousas
River, the Steamboat Warehouse is , the only one
still standing. When the railroad chose
Opelousas for its local route, the steamboat's
whistles were silenced. Since then, the
warehouse has fulfilled many functions ranging
from a feed mill to a general store. Restored to
its original shape in 1977, the Steamboat
Warehouse Restaurant remains a feast for the
eyes and appetite. It combines the rustic
atmosphere of historic yesteryear with wonderful
regional cuisine that is Louisiana at its,
finest.
Enjoy
our historic town and our classic cajun cuisine.
Bon Appetite!
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