Home » Fire Destroys Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana

Fire Destroys Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana

by The Urban News

On Thursday, May 15, the historic Nottoway Plantation in White Castle, Louisiana caught fire.

The 53,000-square-foot mansion was built in 1859 by enslaved people for John Hampden Randolph. Prior to the blaze, the property was used as a wedding venue.

Staff members said they quickly exited after seeing smoke emanating from one of the second floor rooms and then, when they returned, they found the entire room up in flames. What initially caused the fire is still under investigation.

According to local reports, the fire reignited around 6 p.m. on May 15, 2025, engulfing large portions of the landmark estate. The home was burned completely by 10 p.m. Thursday. No one was injured in the blaze.

Nottoway was built by more than 150 enslaved Black people who were owned, whipped, starved, raped, and worked to death.

These individuals:

  • Cleared land, planted and harvested sugarcane, and worked in boiling houses where sugar was processed under extreme conditions.
  • Built the mansion itself—brick by brick, with skilled labor done by enslaved masons, carpenters, and artisans.
  • Maintained the house, cooked, cleaned, laundered, cared for the Randolph children, and tended the estate grounds.

They lived in slave quarters—cramped wooden cabins without plumbing or proper insulation—while the Randolph family lived in marble-floored halls with gas lighting and imported furniture. So when people feel no sympathy about a place like that burning, it’s not about being hateful, it’s about refusing to mourn a monument to human suffering.

Read more about the history of the Nottaway Plantation at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottoway_Plantation.

If we’re going to talk about ‘preserving history,’ then let’s preserve all of it. Stop glorifying plantations. Respecting history starts with honesty, not nostalgia.

The Whitney Plantation Doesn’t Allow Weddings

Over 350 people were enslaved at Whitney Plantation…

Read the full article here

Have information to send to Urban New Now? Contact our reporters. Advertising inquiries? Contact us. Opinions? Email us.

You may also like

About Us

Urban News Now is your number one website for the latest news affecting the Black community. Follow us now to get the news and updates that matters to you.

Feature Articles

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news and updates. Let's stay updated!

Copyright © 2023 Urban News Now – All Right Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More