Did You Know That ... ?
- Though the exact date of its construction is disputed, the Little White House is deemed a significant cultural asset of the Tamsui District, as it serves as a reminder of northern Taiwan's crucial role in trade in Asia during the 1800s. Massive amounts of tea, camphor, and sugar were among the most popular goods being exported from Taiwan that time.
- Both the history of the structure and the architecture itself are of cultural significance. The corridor-style house is in the form of a bungalow, with a Victorian-style red-tiled roof and a vaulted arcade that is of Indian origin. This type of so-called 'colonial architecture' was commonly seen in the 19th century, when the practice of mingling architectural concepts from the colonists and the indigenous cultures was widespread.
- Among all the flourishing flora in the impeccably-kept garden grounds, one specimen in particular is worth annotating — the plumeria (雞蛋樹). A flowering tree native to South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, the plumeria often accompanied the buildings of foreign officers and businesses in colonial Taiwan, thus giving rise to the exotic connotations of its whitish-yellow petals.
Read more about the Little White House here or scroll down for pictures.
