Belle Mont Mansion is being restored and partially furnished to reflect the antebellum, or pre-Civil War, time period. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,. He has a bachelors in history and masters in teaching from the University of Virginia and a masters in theology from Christendom College. This area of the property can be accessed from the master bedroom through a large door with a window that leads directly to the courtyard area, which is where the detached kitchen would have been accessed as well.The Mitchell family sold Belle Mont and 33 of the surrounding acres to their friends Isaac and Catherine Baker Jones Winston, who were also from Virginia, in 1833. Gift Shop (111 S. Main St., Tuscumbia). My wife and I went to the mansion and learned of its peculiarities from the informative guide person. Use the "Browse" or "Choose File" button below to select an image to upload along with your comment. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio," (Commission 2). The home was built. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, he was a physician, planter, and an early elected official of Franklin (present-day Colbert) County, where he settled around 1820. First, there is no such thing as a slave plantation. There are cotton plantations, sugar plantations, tobacco plantations, etc., etc., but no slave plantations. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! complete with original and period furniture, artwork and statuary. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), NPS Investigation & Research Education Resource, World Institute for Scientific Exploration (WISE), http://www.mystery411.com/Landing_bellemonttuscumbia.html. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. Just outside the city of Tuscumbia, the 700+ acre Cane Creek Canyon Nature . Marble bust of Helen Keller. Forts, Battlefields & Archaeological Sites, Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program, Documenting the Civil Rights Movement in Montgomery, Pond Spring, the General Joe Wheeler Home, To apply for film/photo permit, please send requests to. Catholics in the 19th century suffered violent assaults at the hands of anti-papist mobs on the streets of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. Surely, we do not want to pretend these places dont have a violent, racist past. In 1833, the property was bought by Issac Williams, who owned 119 enslaved people by 1855. Its also not as if Dixie estates were the only sites where acts of brutality were committed by one group of Americans against another. The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. Beginning in 1889, the basement of Belmont, which served as the main workspace for many enslaved persons, was significantly remodeled with no care given to historic preservation. Although the original architect and builder remain unknown, the style of Belle Mont appears also to have been influenced by past. Officials from multiple wedding-planning websites recently announced they are either no longer advertising plantation wedding venues or making those venues harder to find on their websites. After finding lesson plans asking Alabama fourth-graders to write their own slave narratives, experts talk about the hardships of teaching slavery on an elementary school level. Moreover, blacks, both free and slave, provided the bulk of labor that built the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and other early government buildings. I know someone who used to volunteer at Belle Mont, which is open for tours, and she said the house was definitely haunted by a woman, possibility a former mistress or daughter who once lived in the house. Visiting here is an opportunity to explore one of the few 1850s era homes still standing in Nashville while learning about the place and the people -- both free and enslaved -- who make this site worth understanding. Moreover, are the perpetrators of our historical-cultural cleansing so naive to think their children and grandchildren wont do the same thing to them, who have fostered and encouraged a paradigm of national seppuku? I have experienced some very strange things in my home. Violence against blacks and other disenfranchised groups have occurred across our nations landscape, many in popular and well-trod locales, North and South, East and West. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. Then they could celebrate their wedding reception at a Southern manor and have a hell of a good time. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. Related Videos Video #1 However, the staff continues to research as we endeavor to tell the stories of all who lived at Belmont. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. The schooner Clotilda smuggled African captives into the U.S. in 1860, more than 50 years after importing slaves was outlawed. The groups who are critiquing the event in Tuscumbia believe historical sites must be honest and respectful. Couple looking at a car in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Please report any inaccuracies. Slaves in the plantation generations were members of what Berlin calls "slave societies," where slavery was the primary source of labor. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. According to the letter, Christmas was a disturbing time for the enslaved. Off Campus Book Store University of North Alabama, Norton Auditorium University of North Alabama. Sign up for our newsletter and receive Halloween event updates, discounts and more! What county in Alabama had the most slaves? Located in the middle of the Belmont University campusbehind Freeman Hall. View all AHC Owned Historic Houses & Museums. By the following year, in 1890, all the houses occupied by enslaved Blacks on the estate had been destroyed, leaving no physical presence for interpretation. The answer will always be a mystery. She was caught due to a news story that came out in the local paper about the travesties of vandalism happening to the historic landmark by local youth. My mother also said that there was a man, a caretaker of some sort, that lived in a house at the foot of the hill at some point during this time. Tell Us About Your Experience(s) at Belle Mont. Some visitors say that the building . According to the Times Daily, the event, which has been a holiday tradition in the Muscle Shoals area for over 30 years, offered vintage ballroom dancing, food and tour guides dressed in Antebellum garb. Owning 1,680 acres of cotton and corn, Dr. Mitchell became known as one of the largest planters in the area before he quickly sold the mansion and the surrounding land one year after its completion. Its just really weird that we both saw this happen at the exact same time. Gradually, the family gatherings became less frequent until the home was completely abandoned.The abandonment of the home was the largest cause of its deterioration and the vandalism that occurred at Belle Mont. I dont know any ghost stories but my mother tells a few funny stories. Group rates available. He was also a founding member of a Presbyterian church in Tuscumbia and among the area's largest owners of, Throughout the antebellum period, Isaac Winston operated Belle Mont as a cotton plantation, and the 1860 Census lists him as the owner of 114 enslaved African Americans. Because of the tragedies that transpired therin, they powerfully communicate how far America has come. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Located in the heart of Nashville on the Belmont University Campus. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few Palladian-style houses in the Deep South. Admission: Adults $6; students, seniors, military $5; and children 6-18 $3. It also reflects the vulnerability of American businesses to the whims of leftist protest movements. The answer will always be a mystery. I was amazed at the huge floor joist under the house, then I had that feeling someone had walked up behind me, I thought it was Ronnie, at that time I noticed some graffiti that had been put there, and asked Ronnie what he thought about, but when I turned around, Iwas there by myself. It's currently operated as a museum, and tours are available. Be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray, Georgia Senate Passes Bill To Close Sneaky 'Zuckbucks 2.0' Loopholes, 3 Things Anti-America Agitator Angela Davis Can Learn From Her Pilgrim Ancestors, Just Like Real Socialism, Real Feudalism Has Never Been Tried, Amid Personal Loss, Washington And Lincoln Became Fathers Of Their Country. One night while we were both watching TV in the den with the lights off, we both saw two colored orbs gliding through the room from the back door toward the closet, then they disappeared. Last edit to this listing: 1/16/2016 (2604 days ago). Haunted Vacations, Adventures and Mysteries. However, the pamphlet continues by claiming that, characteristics of Jeffersonian Classicism are exhibited at Belle Mont, including finely executed brickwork with contrasting woodwork and a hilltop setting. Visitors to this page: 3,182
Today the Belmont Mansion Association, which was formed in 1972, owns the collection, runs the museum, and shares this unique story of 19th century Nashville with visitors from far and near. The Winston family maintained ownership and continued living in Belle Mont through the Civil War and until around 1940. n 1832. The use of the NPS name for any unauthorized events or activities is strictly prohibited. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! A former slave plantation, it is believed to be haunted by slaves that lived and died here and also possibly by the ghosts of its former owners. Most Americans know that George Washington owned enslaved people at his Mount Vernon home. Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. Discover the largest house built in Tennessee prior to the Civil War. And in the process, these attacks have unintended economic consequences on working-class Americans. 2019 was the year it finally became socially unacceptable to use a historic plantation as a wedding venue. Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. Today the Belmont Mansion Association, which was formed in 1972, owns the collection, runs the museum, and shares this unique story of 19th century Nashville with visitors from far and near. It has been referred to as the Isaac Winston House and is listed as Belmont in the National Register of Historic Places and as the Henry B. Thornton Plantation House in the Historic American Buildings Survey. Top ways to experience Belle Mont Mansion and nearby attractions Florence, Muscle Shoals Multi-Attraction Pass 2 Attractions & Museums from $25.00 per adult Muscle Shoals Sound Studio Tour in Sheffield Alabama 72 Recommended Walking Tours from $20.00 per adult The Raptor, High Rope Course and Zipline Tickets, Wheeler Lake KOA 1 Gradually, the family gatherings became less frequent until the home was completely abandoned. This is not a good thing. Your email address will not be published. I mention this because Gay Mont was his home. How many of the great nations of human history have so actively beat their breasts over their sins, both against their own citizens and the peoples of the world? Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few . This area of the property can be accessed from the master bedroom through a large door with a window that leads directly to the courtyard area, which is where the detached kitchen would have been accessed as well. General Martin retired to his Belle Mont plantation at Leatherwood, which he purchased in 1796 from Benjamin Harrison V of Berkeley Plantation. I came out of the cellar and saw Ronnie sitting in my truck, so I asked if he had came into the cellar, he told me no. The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. Unlock premium content, ad-free browsing, and access to comments for just $4/month. Moreover, the entire country was once the land of American Indians, and a good deal of it deceptively or violently taken from them. Strange are there actually any African Americans who have memories of the antebellum period, given that it ended 160 years ago? Use of the directory is at the discretion of the individual. Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont. The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. We might also remember that many of the most celebrated and visited historical sites in our country are Southern manors built and worked by slaves: Mount Vernon (itself a wedding venue), Monticello (another wedding venue), and Montpelier (also a wedding venue) among them. However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. Belle Mont Mansion has resumed normal operating hours and will be operating at reduced capacity to safeguard against COVID-19. Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. 10 years later, I relayed the story for the first time to him the day my wife and I decided to visit the place and asked him if he would like to go see the man he saw that night. he respectfully declined. My daughter and I have both heard clear voices that sound kind of far away, but you can understand them. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. The other residents seem to tolerate it OK, but I hate it. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. The designer is unknown but seems to have been influenced by Thomas Jefferson's ideas and style. The Miracle Worker organ. Belle Mont Mansion By Ken Weigandin Ashley Ann Lewis, Haunted Locations Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. "While the holidays brought a brief respite from work, many enslaved people took the opportunity to escape the bondage of the plantation," the letter said. Be specific. Let us know! Blue Star Museum: Belle Mont proudly offers free admission to active duty military personnel and their families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. An example of this occurred in December, when a number of black medical students posed for a photo at a former slave plantation, a site some of them called holy. Heck, why not celebrate their graduation there? Have a haunt/halloween related news story or a tip? 3. It is said to be haunted by slaves who died on the grounds and also by former owners. Shes told me that prior to the restorations the mansion was a prime site for local teens to be dumb kids trespass, vandalize, etc. At first you think this is all in your imagination. The source of Belle Monts design is shrouded in mystery, but tantalizing clues suggest the direct influence of President Thomas Jefferson, gentlemen architect of the early Republic, the official Belle Mont pamphlet states (Commission 2). It was one of those drizzly unpleasant days, so after a while I went into the Cellar area of the plantation. A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? Tickets may also be purchased by credit card by calling the museum at 256-381-5052 or online . Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation, Inc. is the support group in charge of operating the site. Many of them, even their detractors must admit, are beautiful, both in reference to their natural surroundings and their architecture. Your CommentsHave a photograph taken from this location? The property is also available for tours Thursday through Sunday and for special event rentals. Happy haunting! The house is listed on the National Historic Registry (#19820223). Belle Meade plantation is one of the premier plantations in Tennessee and one of the top attractions in the state. The Knot, WeddingWire, and Pinterest are seeking to limit content on their websites that promotes Southern plantations as a wedding venue. Required fields are marked *. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. Do not use all capital letters. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. The only way to avoid offending anyone would be to stop celebrating anything, anywhere, at any time. The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. Built between 1828 and 1832 in the Jeffersonian style, Belle Mont was originally the home of Dr. Alexander Mitchell, who quickly sold the building to one Isaac Winston in 1833. The article included a large photo of an interior shot of the mansion with my great aunts name first and last blazoned across the room in graffiti! But fewer probably know that it . The Conway family purchased the property in 1670 and it remained in the family for 120 years. Chronological snobbery, as C.S. Click "thumbs up" if you think its haunted, or "thumbs down" if you think its all just a tall tale. Records of the property's destruction includes information related to the number of slave dwellings on the property. Nor do the sins of our forefathers nullify their many acts of virtue or the great political and cultural gifts they bestowed upon future generations. Simply by virtue of ones social justice warrior credentials and alleged victimhood status, these people deputize themselves the cultural police of our history, our language, and now apparently our wedding venues. What do you think? However, the pamphlet continues by claiming that, characteristics of Jeffersonian Classicism are exhibited at Belle Mont, including finely executed brickwork with contrasting woodwork and a hilltop setting. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Is it not appropriate to celebrate momentous occasions in beautiful places? The Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville hired a black historian to research the site's enslavement history and to offer tours so visitors can learn about the African Americans who were enslaved on the property. Whats good for the goose is good for the gander, and one would have to be a clinical narcissist to think future generations wont find us at fault for any number of things. I contacted the historic society to find out about the planned restoration project that I had heard about, and asked if I could assist as part of my Eagle Scout project in the Boy Scouts. ?????? As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. "It is unacceptable to subject the descendants of enslaved African Americans to whitewashed versions of history that ignore their ancestors experience.". In 1790, John Hipkins purchased the property from the Conway family and in 1791 built Belle Grove for his only child, Fannie. Doors open and close. It has a staff of three: a site director, curator, and tour guide. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. The house is listed on the National Historic Registry (#19820223). A mural of the Clotilda adorns a concrete embankment in Africatown, a community near Mobile founded by Africans illegally transported to Alabama aboard the slave ship. The first slaves arrived to Belle Meade in 1807, and as decades rolled on, the number of slaves tripled to 136 of by 1860 based on the 1860 census record. Protest movements that perceive victimization and microaggression under every rock also wreak havoc on our countrys economy. An Alabama Historical Commission site, Belle Mont was built 1828-1832 and is one of the state's first great plantation houses. Me and a group of Freinds went out there one night and we first get there we get out the car and walking up the hill to the house and I get a snapchat (popular app used by teens) from someone I dont even got added and he said Im behind you then he sent another one and said I know where you are and I sent a snap and said where am I the. Belmont Mansion, or Belle Monte as it was known in the 19th century, was not a plantation but still relied on a large number of enslaved workers to maintain the estate. All information on this page was submitted to Alabama Haunted Houses and was believed to be accurate at the time it was posted. The letter was signed by social justice groups Project Say Something, Standing in Power, of Decatur, and Beyond the Women's March. Owning 1,680 acres of cotton and corn, Dr. Mitchell became known as one of the largest planters in the area before he quickly sold the mansion and the surrounding land one year after its completion.However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. Owning 1,680 acres of cotton and corn, Dr. Mitchell became known as one of the largest planters in the area before he quickly sold the mansion and the surrounding land one year after its completion. Jones says her new title is one she holds . It's estimated that 40 percent of slave owners may have been white women. Slavery Plantation Agriculture Robert J. Vejnar, Kennesaw State University Dogtrot Cabin at Belle Mont Plantation Plantation agriculture was a form of large-scale farming that was most prevalent during the colonial and antebellum periods of American history. Advertised as an event where people can experience the "hospitality of the Old South", "A Plantation Christmas" was held at the Belle Mont Mansion on Sunday evening. Owned by the Alabama Historical Commission and operated by the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation. Stories of the Past - Conversations for the Future. In 1983, concerned about the condition of the house, members of the Winston family donated Belle Mont and 33 surrounding acres to the Alabama Historical Commission.The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. During the 1960s, star-crossed lovers camped inside the rotting mansion in the woods, and the home has long been the site of drunken high school parties. Three years later, during the middle of the. This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. But she never mentioned any slave ghosts. The underlying premise of the anti-plantation movement is that Southern plantations cannot be romanticized.
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