A massive fire destroyed Louisiana’s Nottoway Resort, a former plantation turned wedding venue
NEED TO KNOW
- A massive fire has destroyed Nottoway Resort in White Castle, Louisiana
- Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire that reduced the 64-room Antebellum mansion to rubble
- The landmark, recently used for weddings and tourism, is remembered for its complex legacy
A historic plantation converted into a resort and wedding venue burned to the ground Thursday night.
On the evening of May 15, the south wing of Nottoway Resort in White Castle, L.A., was engulfed in flames. By 10 p.m., the 64-room, 53,000-square-foot Antebellum structure was a pile of rubble, according to Nola.com. Several local news outlets shared video of the fire as it consumed the building. Officials say the cause of the blaze is still unknown, and there have been no reported injuries.
According to a statement obtained by PEOPLE, a spokesperson for Iberville Parish said, “While the main building was unfortunately a total loss, I can confirm that all other structures on the property were preserved.”
Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle shared a statement on social media in the early hours of May 16, addressing the disaster. “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 wrote. “Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from around the world who came to appreciate its architecture and confront the legacies of its era.”
According to the National Register of Historic Places, which the property joined in 1980, Nottoway was built in 1858 by John Hampden Randolph, and by 1860, 155 people were enslaved on the property.
Daigle went on to acknowledge the many local fire houses — including Bayou Goula, Bayou Pigeon, Bayou Sorrel, West Baton Rouge, Plaquemine, Baton Rouge, St. George, Pierre Part, and Donaldsonville — and mutual aid organizations that assisted in fighting the flames.
The parish president also recognized the landmark as “a cornerstone of our tourism economy,” as it’s become a popular wedding location, travel destination and resort that included a 30-by-40-foot ballroom and a 300-seat restaurant. “Its absence will be felt deeply — by our community, our state, and by the many who found meaning in its preservation,” added Daigle.
“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.”
