Politics and Frills
from Southern Living
Volume 32, Number 12
December 1997

Winnfield is a small town of big extremes, and you’ll relish both. On Pineville Street, you’ll find the laciest little gift shop and tea room, The Pink House, where genteel folk lunch and enjoy fancy eats and treasures. Just around the corner, in the rustic, old train station, visitors pore over the state’s colorful history at the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame. Exhibits pay tribute to some unruly, ill-mannered, yet revered politicians: namely the notorious Long brothers, Huey and Earl.

Other, less reputable figures are touted here, too, but the Long boys were born here, grew up here. They influenced the state’s legal halls for decades, for better or worse. At one time or another the rest of the country watched these Winnfield boys put their town on the map. And it wasn’t for sipping tea, with pinkies daintily extended.

Paul Newman brought a memorable characterization of Earl to the silver screen in Blaze a while back, titled for Earl’s well known mistress. And Huey made headlines many times before his 1935 assassination. This isn’t a sophisticated, big-city museum, and while the exhibit isn’t nearly as extensive as these men’s reputations, the items are intriguing: loud speakers from campaign trucks; old news clippings; a pohotograph collection of Huey’s rise and fall that’s hard to follow – but fascinating. Whether you’re an admirer or critic, it’s worth a look.

And when you need a little civility, head over to the precious house painted soft taffy-pink. It was built in 1908, and now June Melton sets the table for company and the shelves for shoppers. You can persue the section of gifts and goodies, and enjoy a salad plate or hut lunch in the dining room.

The Pink House’s almond iced tea – as well as Winnfield’s hopitality and history – will refresh you from polite manners to political banners.