India, May 23 -- The Nottoway plantation house, an essential element of Louisiana's history, went up in flames at 2AM on Thursday (May 15) when staff at the building reported seeing smoke coming up from the south wing. Dan Dyess, the current owner of the building, has expressed his devastation at the event and is uncertain about the possibility of restoration. The State Fire Marshal's Office began its investigation to deduce the cause of the fire on Friday and is still unclear on when a conclusive report could be produced.

The official website of this now popular resort and wedding location describes it as "one of the South's largest historic mansions, located on the famous River Road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans."

Chris Daigle, ...