[5] One story states that Westwego was so named because it was a major crossing point on the Mississippi River during the great westward movement of the late 19th century.

[6] Another more specific tale, recounted in John Churchill Chase's Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children is that the name was the specific outcome of an 1871 meeting of a railroad board of directors in New York,[7] where planning was undertaken to use the site as an eastern terminus ("...west we go from there").

The area of Westwego, Louisiana was inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years before Europeans settled here.

[8] These indigenous people created huge shell middens that can still be seen in the vicinity today.

The estate was later owned by the Zeringue family, who turned it into bustling sugar plantation, known as Seven Oaks.

[9] Planter Camille Zeringue built a canal at the plantation that played a prominent role in the community's history for decades.

[10] 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.

[6] 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.

Most of the fatalities were caused by a concrete tower collapsing onto an office building, where workers were gathered for a Christmas party.

[30] The United States Postal Service operates the Westwego Post Office.