VIDEO: Historic plantation in Iberville Parish on fire, no injuries reported
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Fire crews in Iberville Parish are responding to a fire at a historic plantation in White Castle Thursday afternoon.
According to the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office, the main house of the Nottoway Plantation and Resort caught fire. Officials say the fire is still burning at this time. The extent of the fire is unknown.
Visitors and guests on site were evacuated and accounted for, the sheriff's office reports.
Nottoway is one of the largest historic mansions in the South, built in 1859. It sits on River Road in White Castle, La., and stands guard over the Mississippi River.
The 31-acre property holds 40 overnight rooms, a restaurant, a bar, over 15,000 square feet of event space, a bridal dressing room, an outdoor pool and cabana, tennis courts, and a fitness center.
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VIDEO: Historic plantation in Iberville Parish on fire, no injuries reported
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'We do not allow any event that would overshadow this reality and disrespect the memory of all those who suffered, labored and died here.' A recent trip to Whitney was emotional, Flowers said, but he said his children began to learn about the reality their ancestors experienced. 'It's honestly a hard place to visit,' Flowers said. 'They present it as it is.' Flowers said those slaves who directly ramped up Louisiana's economy in the late 1800s also founded the church he now serves. He said the record is unclear on whether they got permission from their master to organize or secretly did so in a wooded area. 'It was actually organized by slaves,' Flowers said. Flowers said he thinks the original congregation would be proud that the church carries on their legacy. 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