A Louisiana mansion dating from 1859 was destroyed by fire Thursday.
Most of the main building at the Nottoway Plantation in White Castle, south of Baton Rouge, went up in smoke, according to the Advocate, which noted its historic white columns and most of the rest of the structure were soot and ash after a fire that raged for hours.
The fire broke out after 2 p.m. in the mansion’s south wing. Fire flared again in the evening as the roof collapsed, according to WAFB-TV, which said the mansion had been one of the largest surviving antebellum homes in the South.
Other buildings on the property were not damaged.
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
Staff members found smoke when they entered a second-floor room of the museum, and later discovered flames.
Officials believe the fire started in a second-floor bedroom, but are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle noted the significance of the mansion.
“Built in 1859, Nottoway was not only the largest remaining antebellum mansion in the South but also a symbol of both the grandeur and the deep complexities of our region’s past. 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,” he said.
“Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from around the world who came to appreciate its architecture and confront the legacies of its era. It stood as both a cautionary monument and a testament to the importance of preserving history — even the painful parts — so that future generations can learn and grow from it,” Daigle said.
Another video captured around 6:20 PM shows intense fire and major damage to parts of Nottoway pic.twitter.com/YkMfY2UV3y
— Steve Caparotta, Ph.D. (@SteveWAFB) May 16, 2025
“The loss of Nottoway is not just a loss for Iberville Parish, but for the entire state of Louisiana,” he also said, according to the Advocate.
“It was a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance. Its absence will be felt deeply — by our community, our state, and by the many who found meaning in its preservation,” he said.
“This thing was built in 1859, now we might just see the end of it,” Jordan Ward, a deputy with the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, said Thursday evening, according to the Times-Picayune.
Water is still being sprayed on Nottoway some 18 hours after the fire. https://t.co/w8yVTBE084 pic.twitter.com/T18La9ihBL
— WAFB (@WAFB) May 16, 2025
Iberville Parish Fire Department Director Shaun Bordelon said the problem in containing the blaze was basic: “Water. Not enough of it.”
Many mourned the loss of the historical structure. “I’m literally sick right now watching it burn,” one person posted on X.
Nottoway plantation stood for 166 years…it was one of the most beautiful houses I had ever seen. I’m literally sick right now watching it burn. 😭 pic.twitter.com/3ENjdUHvIg
— Jess L. Mc. (@All_Saints_Day) May 16, 2025
Others celebrated, citing the original property’s history of being a plantation whose owner kept more than 150 slaves.
I’ve visited Nottoway Plantation a lot because of a guy I dated worked here for years. I was very familiar with the property and even saw the secret pathways that were literally in plain sight. For the ancestors have spoken, it was time for this place to come on down. Freedom🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/QjjySqmccS
— ☆★JaQuilla X☆★ (@iamjaquilla) May 16, 2025
“[T]he ancestors have spoken, it was time for this place to come on down,” one commented in a post.
The mansion was built for John Hampden Randolph, a sugar cane planter.
“The 64-room, 53,000-square-foot mansion was designed by renowned architect Henry Howard of New Orleans in Greek Revival and Italianate style,” the Times Picayune reported. “Among its features were 22 massive columns, 165 doors and 200 windows.”
The site had become a museum, event venue and hotel.
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