History of Nottoway Plantation in Timeline

Nottoway Plantation, near White Castle, Louisiana, is the largest antebellum plantation house remaining in the South. Constructed in 1859 for John Hampden Randolph by enslaved African people and artisans, the Greek Revival and Italianate-styled mansion spans 53,000 square feet. It stands as a significant example of pre-Civil War architecture and a reminder of the plantation era in the United States.

1904: Emily Randolph's death

In 1904, Emily Randolph, the widow of John Randolph, died in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

1909: Landry's widow sells Nottoway

In 1909, the Landry's widow sold Nottoway Plantation to sugar planter Alfonse Hanlon.

1913: Hanlon lost Nottoway to foreclosure

In 1913, Alfonse Hanlon lost Nottoway Plantation to foreclosure due to crop failures and his wife's medical bills. Dr. Whyte G. Owen then purchased the plantation for $10,000.

1949: Dr. Owen's death

In 1949, Dr. Whyte G. Owen, the one-time Surgeon General of Louisiana, died, and Nottoway Plantation was inherited by his son Stanford.

1971: Grapeshot falls from column

In 1971, a single grapeshot that had lodged in the far left column of Nottoway Plantation during the Civil War finally fell out.

1974: Stanford Owen's death

In 1974, Stanford Owen died, and his wife Odessa Owen continued to live in Nottoway Plantation, maintaining it with limited resources.

1980: Listing on the National Register of Historic Places

In 1980, Nottoway Plantation was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1980: Odessa Owen sells Nottoway Plantation

In 1980, Odessa Owen sold Nottoway Plantation to Arlin K. Dease, with the condition that she could live there until her death. Dease restored the plantation and opened it to the public.

1985: Arlin Dease sells Nottoway

In 1985, Arlin K. Dease sold Nottoway Plantation to Paul Ramsay of Sydney, Australia, after Ramsay stayed at the property while in the area for business.

2003: Death of Odessa Owen

In 2003, Odessa Owen, the widow of Stanford Owen, passed away, marking the end of Nottoway Plantation as a private residence.

2003: Reinterment of the Randolph family remains

In 2003, the remains of the Randolph family were reinterred in the Randolph cemetery, located to the north of the house.

2008: Expansion of the property

In 2008, the owners expanded the Nottoway Plantation property by building a carriage house, ballroom, and nine Acadian-style cottages modeled after the property's original slave quarters. The plantation was closed to the public for repairs due to damage from Hurricane Gustav at that time.