White Bluff, also known as Ecor Blanc, is a historic site located along the Tombigbee River in Demopolis. It is a chalk cliff, roughly one mile long, that is composed of a geological layer known as the Demopolis Chalk Formation, part of the Selma Group. The original height of the White Bluff was approximately 80 feet at the highest point. The completion of the Demopolis Lock and Dam in 1955 raised the water level 40 feet. Present height of the bluff varies from twenty to forty feet depending on the contour of the land at the top.
White Bluff was first named Ecor Blanc by 18th century French explorers and map makers. It also became known as the Chickasaw Gallery because early Native American inhabitants harnessed their boats at the foot of the cliff. It was also the site where French Bonapartist refugees landed in 1817 and established their Vine and Olive Colony.
White Bluff was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on August 25, 1970.
The building shown in the pictures that are provided is the Demopolis Civic Center. It is located at 501 North Commissioners Avenue, Demopolis (32.520409,-87.840854 – Google Maps). This is one of the primary vantage points for watching Demopolis’ Christmas on the River. The White Bluff historical marker is located beside the Civic Center. Also, the Civic Center is located next door to the historic Bluff Hall.
The pictures that are provided include a historic B&W photograph that was taken in 1903 before the Demopolis Lock and Dam was installed on the Tombigbee. This picture was originally published in The Journal of Geology by the University of Chicago Press in 1910. The photograph is attributed to Eugene Allen Smith (1841–1927), who served as the State Geologist of Alabama for nearly 50 years.
Also included is a picture taken of a sunset at White Bluff in December 2014.
Sources: NRHP “White Bluff” Nomination Form; 2) “White Bluff” Historical Marker.