Edward Douglas White Historic Site

The Edward Douglas White home was purchased by the White family in 1829. It was designed in the creole plantation architecture style. Edward White Sr.’s wife remodeled the home to fit the prevalent Greek Revival style. The White family made a name for themselves in politics. Edward White Sr. was Louisiana State Governor from 1835-1839. While serving he implemented the first bill in Louisiana that prohibited the act of bribery upon public officials. He passed away in 1847. His son, Edward White Jr. was a Supreme Court Justice. He helped form Tulane University in an attempt to bolster the academic standards of the state.

Upon his death, Chief Justice White requested that all of his personal documents be destroyed. Some debate remains about the feelings of Chief Justice White in regard to slavery and the treatment of African Americans. Some scholars believe that the views of his family as well as his own are made clear by the fact that they purchased the E.D.W. House with the intention of starting a sugar plantation on 2,000 acres and his family owned 58 African American slaves. There were eight family groups and 23 singles. In the post-Civil War era many slaves refused to leave the property because they had no other prospects and no place to go. They became tenant farmers and stayed in Bayou Lafourche.

Chief Justice White passed in 1921 and his widow donated the home to the Knights of Columbus. The Knights later sold the property to the Chief Justice Memorial Association Inc, in 1927. From there it was transferred to The Louisiana State Department of State Parks. They managed the property from 1955-1993. After eight years of supervision by the Secretary of State the property was transferred to the Louisiana State Museum in 2001. Under the direction of the LSM the E.D.W.H.S was being professionally preserved, conserved, and protected for the first time. The LSM performed a massive $300,000 renovation in 2002.

Funding for the Edward Douglas White House Historic Site comes from the LSM Appropriations Bill from the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. The Friends of the E.D.W.H.S. was established in 1991 and they provide financially for the sites activities and support each fiscal year as approved by the Assistant Secretary of the Office of State Museums. 

E.D. White Historic Site, Louisiana State Museum. Accessed October 10th 2020. https://louisianastatemuseum.org/museum/ed-white-historic-site.

Buckley, Diana. Louisiana State Museum Edward Douglass White historic site report & analysis, December 1st 2008. Accessed October 10th 2020. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=aa_rpts.

Ayuba, Ibrahim. https://trip101.com/article/best-things-to-do-in-thibodaux-la, Trip 101. September 8th 2020. Accessed October 10th 2020. https://trip101.com/article/best-things-to-do-in-thibodaux-la.