White Sulphur Springs Resort

Louisiana Democrat - June 30, 1880 

The stories vary on how this location received its name.

Quoting from an article written by Jack M. Willis, Journal Correspondent with The Piney Woods,

According to the renowned local historian Eli W. Plummer, White Sulphur Springs, Louisiana had its humble beginnings along about 1830.  Long before there were wagon roads, and travel was primarily by horse back, an adventurer by the name of Joseph P. Ward came upon the site which was located in what was then the western edge of the Catahoula Prairie District.  He stopped his train of horses by a beautiful spring and he and his fellow travelers decided to make camp for the night.

Ward's former home was the resort town of White Sulphur Springs, Georgia and he was bound for Texas, but when he smelled this sulphurous liquid bubbling from the spring, he may have even said, "Eureka!  I believe I'll name this locality White Sulphur Springs, Louisiana."

Quoting from an article written by Lora Peppers at Louisiana Road Trips,

While going through my Grandmother's papers, I found an old typewritten report on the history of White Sulphur Springs.  It was compiled by the LaSalle Parish Development Board probably in the 1960s.

[In 1833, a man named Joseph P. Ward was passing through the area when he discovered the spring.  Seeing the potential investment opportunity, Joseph decided to build a resort around it.  He would call it White Sulphur Springs, after his native town in Virginia.]

The resort originally featured a hotel, saloon, dance hall, gambling house, general merchandise store and living quarters for Ward's slaves.  Later, another hotel was built along with a livery stable, cotton gin, grist mill, post office and a school.  Sicily Island native, Dr. Peter Edward Hughson "P. E. H." Lovelace, was a proprietor of one of the hotels in the late 1870s.


Known as the "Springs", the resort became a prime vacation spot for sportsmen and families alike.  The supposed healing abilities of the sulfur water proved to be the biggest draw; bringing people from all over the nation to this area with the hopes of being cured of their ailments.


In 1911, the water was tested by the Louisiana Board of Health.  The results revealed no presence of healing powers.  Instead, the water was found to be a health hazard due to bacteria.  This signaled the end of the White Sulphur Springs Resort.


To the right is an article which appeared in the Abbeville Meridional on September 15, 1888.






  
Below is an article written by Tobias, a correspondent with the Louisiana Democrat.  The article was published in the Alexandria, Louisiana newspaper on July 15, 1877.

 

 (Editor's note:  all newspaper articles are courtesy of Chronicling America)