While it is more than 150 years since the first known white dwarf, Sirius B, was discovered, these stars remain enigmatic objects. They are implicated in Type Ia supernova explosions and the population can be used to place limits on the age of the Galaxy. In recent years new surprises have emerged, suggesting that white dwarfs are accreting the remnants of their ancient planetary systems. These stars might also be used to probe the fundamental physics of the cosmos. This talk will discuss the history of the the discovery of white dwarfs leading to these latest discoveries.