The famous White Ballroom in Nottoway Plantation in White Castle, Louisiana. The house was designed by New Orleans architect Henry Howard and built for John H. Randolph between 1857 and 1859. Randolph’s wealth was earned by growing sugar and cotton with enslaved labor.
This beautiful double-parlor has become known as the “White Ballroom” with a delightful romantic tale about the owner wanting the perfect background to show off his beautiful daughters. In fact, the construction specifications by the architect that direct that it be painted “translucent white” are identical to what he specified for parlors on other projects. Seven coats of French Zinc white paint created a luxurious, velvety, opalescent finish that apparently was Howard’s signature.
The elaborate plasterwork was done by contractor Jeremiah Supple. The contract shows that he was paid just under $2,000 for 4,200 sq. yards of smooth plaster and the extensive ornamental plasterwork throughout the mansion. If only the specifications and contracts from the construction of every historic house survived!
Nottoway is open to the public for tours and also has extensive event facilities on the property. Visiting historic house museums is a wonderful way to get inspiration for your home restoration projects. nottoway.com
Restoration methods and materials used by museums are included among the approaches presented in “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available directly from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries other authors’ select preservation and restoration titles. Save with our multi-book combo packs!
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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