The historic Nottoway Plantation, located in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, and the largest surviving antebellum home in the South, was severely damaged by a fire that broke out Thursday afternoon.
Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle shared a message on social media Thursday, reflecting on the landmark’s storied past.
‘It was a cornerstone of our tourism economy’
“While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue,” Daigle wrote in the Facebook post.
“The loss of Nottoway is not just a loss for Iberville Parish, but for the entire state of Louisiana. It was a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance,” he added.
The Nottoway Plantation, the “largest remaining antebellum mansion in the South,” caught fire https://t.co/I2760mYYXmpic.twitter.com/TLYWuR06en
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 16, 2025
How did the fire start?
WRBZ reported that first responders arrived at the Nottoway Resort Plantation house in White Castle, Louisiana, shortly after 2 p.m. on Thursday.
According to Daigle, the south side of the building was engulfed in flames, and more than 40 firefighters from multiple towns worked to contain the blaze. Crews later searched the third-floor attic to ensure all the flames were out before investigating what caused the fire.
He said the home’s construction may have helped reduce the overall damage.
“The good thing is that the home was built in different phases. The south wing is different from the center of the home, which may allow a lot of preservation in the center part of Nottoway,” Daigle said, per WRBZ.
Nottoway employees discovered the fire, but no one was injured.
What is the Nottoway Plantation & Resort?
Nottoway is one of the South’s largest historic mansions along River Road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. According to the website, the estate is known for its white columns, grand balconies and three-story rotunda. It overlooks the Mississippi River and oak-lined lawns.
Built in 1859, Nottoway spans 31 acres and features over 40 overnight rooms, including five suites, a restaurant, a bar and more than 15,000 square feet of event space.
The estate also offers amenities such as a bridal dressing room, an outdoor pool and cabana, tennis courts, a lounge, and a fitness center.
USA Today reported that hundreds of enslaved people constructed and worked on the plantation for the family of prominent Louisiana planter John Hampden Randolph.
