The historic Nottoway Plantation, the largest pre-war mansion in the United States, was burned this week after the fire broke out on Thursday. There are no reports of injuries or deaths related to the fire.
Firefighters worked hard to put out the flames, and the water was reportedly poured on rubble, according to Fox 8, and the cause of the fire was still under investigation as of Saturday, according to Fox 8.
Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle told Fox 8 that some staff members said they had entered the museum and had smoke. The whole room was in flames. ”
Firefighters were on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at White Castle in Los Angeles, which surrounded a line that now completely engulfed Nottoway plantations. (Michael Johnson/Advocate via AP)
2 After the "huge explosion", the Criminal Investigation died after the ongoing burn in New Jersey.
"The loss of Nottoway is not only a loss of Iberville Parish, but also a loss of Louisiana as a whole. It is the cornerstone of our tourism economy and a location of national significance."
According to multiple sources, the 64-room mansion was built by John Hampden Randolph in the late 1850s. According to Fox 8, it sits over an area of more than 53,000 square feet and contains 365 doors and windows and 22 white columns in addition to dozens of rooms. The property overlooks the Mississippi River.
Firefighters from Baton Rouge hit the fire when the flames exploded from the roof of the Notovia plantation on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Michael Johnson/Advocate via AP)
NJ Wildfire Charged 13,500 Acres, Firefighters Work on Curb
According to the LSU Academic Library, Randolph first arrived in Louisiana in 1841, first planting cotton, but eventually moved to sugar cane. The academic repository article also noted that the mansion was called "Notovie" after his ancestors lived in Virginia.
Axios quoted the Department of Interior Records, which shows that by 1860, Randolph had 155 slaves and 6,200 acres of land.
According to Nottoway Plantation's website, the property also houses several trees that have been around for more than 100 years, several of which have been around for more than 120 years.
Light smoke can be seen from a handful of active hot spots as Thursday's fire engulfed the crew stayed on the scene at White Castle in Los Angeles on Friday, May 16, 2025. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Appocate via AP)
Click here to get the Fox News app
In modern times, mansions and surrounding properties serve as museums, resorts and wedding venues. Nottoway Plantation's website notes that it is located on 31 acres of land that includes 40 overnight rooms, a bar, restaurant, event space, swimming pool, tennis courts and more.
"Although its early history is undoubtedly related to an injustice period, over the past few decades it has evolved into a place of reflection, education and dialogue," Daigle wrote in a Facebook post. "Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from all over the world who appreciate its architecture and face the legacy of its time. It is both a warning monument and a testament to the importance of preserving history, and even maintaining painful parts from which even future generations can learn and grow."