Are the ancestors trying to send us a message?
Nottoway Resort—or more commonly known as Nottoway Plantation—the largest remaining antebellum plantation home in the United States, was destroyed by fire on the night of May 15.
Located in White Castle, Louisiana, the 64-room, 53,000-square-foot structure was engulfed in flames just after sunset. By 10 p.m., the south wing had collapsed, and much of the property was reduced to rubble, according to Nola.com. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
“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,” Iberville Parish President Craig Daigle wrote in a statement posted to Facebook. “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 1858 by John Hampden Randolph, Nottoway was once a working plantation that once housed 155 enslaved people, according to the National Register of Historic Places.
“Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from around the world who came to appreciate its architecture and confront the legacies of its era,” Daigle continued. “It stood as both a cautionary monument and a testament to the importance of preserving history—even the painful parts—so that future generations can learn and grow from it.”
While Daigle went on to describe how the plantation was a “cornerstone of our tourism economy,” Black users on social media shared very different reactions.
“The Nottoway Plantation burned today. Some people are upset because their beloved event venue is gone…. Seeing the flames and knowing the history… it’s about time,” one user tweeted.
Another user added: “If you turn a plantation into a resort… I feel like whatever happens to you inside that building is the lord’s will.”
From Black users taking smiling selfies in front of the burning building to quoting the classic lyrics of Usher’s “Let it Burn” to straight up cackling, it’s clear that we know exactly what this mystery fire means from a spiritual perspective.
The ancestors have spoken, and if you know, you know.
