30-05-2025
Zachary pastor reflects on Louisiana history following Nottoway Plantation fire
ZACHARY, La. (Louisiana First) — The Redwood Baptist Church was first organized in 1857 by slaves, according to the church's pastor. Following the Nottoway fire this month, he reflected on the way slaves are contextualized in Louisiana's history.
Pastor Dale Flowers said he never visited Nottoway, which was finished in 1859 in White Castle. He said following the May 15 fire, he noticed online debates on social media about the plantation's legacy.
'Some people were like, 'Hey, pass the marshmallows,'' Flowers said. 'Others were extremely upset.'
Support for the plantation began before the embers completely cooled. Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle called the fire a tragedy considering its history in the area.
'The preservation of history is so important,' Daigle said in the fire's aftermath.
Nottoway constituted the South's largest existing antebellum mansion, according to its website. The location has been popular for portraits, weddings, fine dining, and tours.
'The event is going to take a toll on Louisiana tourism,' Daigle said.
Daigle said at the time recent renovations did not include installing a sprinkler system.
'It's a day we were always afraid of,' Daigle said.
The state fire marshal ended its investigation into the fire Tuesday without any conclusions on what caused it. Evidence was sent to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Crime Lab in Georgia to be analyzed.
Daigle discussed the controversy already beginning to take shape online, which included whether the fire burning down the structure was a blessing or a curse.
'There's so much controversy with the past,' Daigle said. 'We didn't live in that generation, but the preservation of history, even the uncomfortable parts, is important.'
The plantation's owner shared that sentiment in a statement published soon after the fire. William Daniel Dyess, an attorney and preservationist from Natchitoches, did not respond to a Louisiana First News request placed through his law office by publication. In a statement to the New York Post, he dismissed much of the criticism while calling for people to 'move forward.'
'I take this position — we are non-racist people,' Dyess said in the article. 'I am a lawyer and my wife is a judge. We believe in equal opportunity rights for everyone, total equality and fairness. My wife and I had nothing to do with slavery, but we recognize the wrongness of it. We are trying to make this a better place. We don't have any interest in left wing radical stuff. We need to move forward on a positive note here and we are not going to dwell on past racial injustice.'
Dyess said he plans to rebuild the mansion. A couple of signs are posted outside the property, including one that suggests construction is already happening.
'Rebuild it,' Flowers said. 'Slaves built that building. Slaves aren't going to build this one.'
Flowers said there is a sentiment from many in America to romanticize the Antebellum period.
'Some people are nostalgic about that time,' Flowers said.
Flowers said the prioritization of weddings and the positive elements of history are part of the reason so many people have the opposite opinion: that Nottoway displayed a largely incorrect version of its history. People who view the website and click the 'History' tab will be met with a list of named trees on the property.
'I honestly thought, 'I wonder how many people hung from those trees,'' Flowers said.
Flowers said a better representation of history can be found at Whitney Plantation. Located in Edgard, Whitney operated from 1752 to 1975, according to its website. Whitney has been open about its purpose, posting in 2020 that it would not hold weddings because of slavery's impact on the property.
'Plantations are sites of immense cruelty and violence,' the Instagram post read. '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.
'The work they started in 1857 is still going on today,' Flowers said.
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