Fire destroys historic Louisiana antebellum mansion. Building ‘a total loss’

The Nottoway Resort in Louisiana caught fire Thursday and burned for hours, with most of the historic plantation reduced to rubble by 10 p.m.

Little remains Thursday of the historic Nottoway plantation home in Iberville Parish after a fire reduced the mansion to rubble.

Charred pieces framework had fallen to the slab, with soot surrounding the once grandiose property. The prominent white columns that supported the roof were mostly gone.

White Castle officials are investigating what caused the fire and have begun combing through the remains.

Iberville Parish president Chris Daigle confirmed in a Facebook post Thursday night that the mansion situated along the Mississippi River was a total loss.

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,” Daigle said. “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.”

Built in 1859, the property was most recently used as an event space and popular wedding venue.

Multiple fire agencies battled the blaze into the night.

This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 7:31 AM.