Belle Mont Mansion is located outside of Tuscumbia. Strange are there actually any African Americans who have memories of the antebellum period, given that it ended 160 years ago? Belle Meade plantation is one of the premier plantations in Tennessee and one of the top attractions in the state. Belle Mont was built for Alexander Williams Mitchell, who grew up in Louisa County, Virginia, only 25 miles from Jefferson's home at Monticello. Then they could celebrate their wedding reception at a Southern manor and have a hell of a good time. Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. Belmont Mansion, also known as Acklen Hall, and originally known as Belle Monte, Belle Mont or Belmont, is a historic mansion located in Nashville, Tennessee. The voices in the night are the hardest to explain away. Black people dont have happy memories of the antebellum period and plantations, where our ancestors were beaten and tortured, said senior campaign director Jade Magnus Ogunnaike. Admission: Adults $6; students, seniors, military $5; and children 6-18 $3. Shes told me that prior to the restorations the mansion was a prime site for local teens to be dumb kids trespass, vandalize, etc. However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. Would like to know if anyone does know anything about it and any info in accordance with that reference. Heading south about to pass by the Belmont sign, and not having said a word in at least 15 Min, my son asks a question pointing precisely in the direction of the house, not visible in the daytime, let alone at pitch black night, Daddy, who is that man? to which I reply, What man? This is not to say there isnt something a bit discomforting about vendors labeling slave cabins on these properties as evoking an elaborate past, as if blacks were happy, willing participants in a fanciful world of white gentry as portrayed in Gone with the Wind. All the same, targeting Southern wedding venues for bigotry reflects yet another manifestation of a purification of our culture and history. Related Videos Video #1 The only way to avoid offending anyone would be to stop celebrating anything, anywhere, at any time. Blue Star Museum: Belle Mont proudly offers free admission to active duty military personnel and their families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Its also not as if Dixie estates were the only sites where acts of brutality were committed by one group of Americans against another. Belle Mont Mansion , built circa 1828, is one of the few examples of Palladian-style houses in Alabama. Her eyes, big as saucers, alarm me. But she never mentioned any slave ghosts. 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. Belle Mont Mansion is a historic house museum open for guided tours. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. 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. e prior to the Civil War. Couple looking at a car in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Unlock premium content, ad-free browsing, and access to comments for just $4/month. My wife, son (age 5) and I were heading from Muscle Shoals to our home in Littleville after a night of shopping and eating. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. All submissions made to The National Paranormal Society, for the purposes of data analysis, article or editorial publication, team, individual or service listing, or any other submission category not listed become the property of the NPS. Belle Mont is available for special events. Nearby, an early 1800s mansion, Belle Mont, is available for touring. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house.http://bellemont.weebly.com/history.htmlhttp://www.mystery411.com/Landing_bellemonttuscumbia.html. Will NOT be displayed. Slaves in the plantation generations were members of what Berlin calls "slave societies," where slavery was the primary source of labor. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. 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. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. And in the process, these attacks have unintended economic consequences on working-class Americans. It once stretched over 5400 acres and hosted celebrities, presidents, and countless southern gentlemen. To avoid this, be sure to get in touch with the property owners before visiting a haunt, and respect their hours of operation, local regulations, and rules for visiting at all times. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. View all AHC Owned Historic Houses & Museums. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio," (Commission 2). The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. Your email address will not be published. All information on this page was submitted to Alabama Haunted Houses and was believed to be accurate at the time it was posted. 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. Come to Belle Mont to learn more about Palladian architecture and to see first-hand the tantalizing clues suggesting the direct influence of Thomas Jefferson himself. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. It is said to be haunted by slaves who died on the grounds and also by former owners. In each society and in each generation slaves adjusted and . Stay safe. This celebration clearly ignores the perspective of those who experienced Belle Mont as a forced labor camp., Slavery hard to teach in Cotton State of Alabama, elementary educators say. Jonece Starr Dunigan | jdunigan@reckonmedia.com, hired a black historian to research the site's enslavement history, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. And have seen shadows and once a figure of a person. This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. The property remained in the family until 1941 and in 1983 the house and 35 acres was donated to the State of Alabama by the Fennel family. So all the people who work at these historic plantations, regardless of their race, sex, or income, must suffer the economic consequences of what feelings their employers history might provoke. The letter was also sent to Ninon Parker, who is listed as a site director for the Belle Mont Mansion. My great great great great grandfather used to live at the belle mont mansion ! Yes, its true that some historical artifacts across Americas landscape are honored in ways that belittle or demean our fellow countrymen. We have located just two first-hand accounts of slavery at Belmont. Clicks to Website: 293 Records of the property's destruction includes information related to the number of slave dwellings on the property. 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. Mr. Winston was a cousin of Dolly Madison, Patrick Henry, and Isaac Cole, who was a personal friend and secretary of President Thomas Jefferson. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Protest movements that perceive victimization and microaggression under every rock also wreak havoc on our countrys economy. 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. 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. For more information, click here. Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers. I asked, Do you see him now? in a jested way as I awkwardly half-smile to my wife. 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. Tell Us About Your Experience(s) at Belle Mont. Many of them, even their detractors must admit, are beautiful, both in reference to their natural surroundings and their architecture. My wife and I went to the mansion and learned of its peculiarities from the informative guide person. However, the staff continues to research as we endeavor to tell the stories of all who lived at Belmont. Casey Chalk is a senior contributor at The Federalist and an editor and columnist at The New Oxford Review. 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. Mr. Winston was a cousin of Dolly Madison, Patrick Henry, and Isaac Cole, who was a personal friend and secretary of President Thomas Jefferson. Located in the heart of Nashville on the Belmont University Campus. ?????? Please contact nps.submissions@gmail.com for more information. At the time, the name of the plantation was not Gay Mont, but Rose Hill. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. I dont think only certain places are as haunted, as the belief that there are paranormal things happening all around us everywhere, and just certain people are allowed to witness these things at certain times. It was built in 1940 on some of the land near General John Coffees home. But fewer probably know that it . If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know! Even though it is now just 24 acres, many of the important elements remain. Moreover, the entire. 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. Belle Mont Mansion has been listed under several names through its history. Home > Historical Buildings > Belle Mont Mansion 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. In 1833, the property was bought by Issac Williams, who owned 119 enslaved people by 1855. Montvale, the farm at Belmont, was destroyed in 1864. The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. Stories of the Past - Conversations for the Future. The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. 2019 was the year it finally became socially unacceptable to use a historic plantation as a wedding venue. 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. The tell when I was growing up was that the book 13 Alabama Ghosts held a tell from that house. Off Campus Book Store University of North Alabama, Norton Auditorium University of North Alabama. "Others feared the upcoming slave auctions commonly held in January and February in north Alabama as well as upcoming contracts for slave labor that was 'hired out.'". First, there is no such thing as a slave plantation. There are cotton plantations, sugar plantations, tobacco plantations, etc., etc., but no slave plantations. 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. Yet self-righteous assaults on these places and the many ways they are used will not bring restorative justice. If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know! The schooner Clotilda smuggled African captives into the U.S. in 1860, more than 50 years after importing slaves was outlawed. 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. 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. Is this place really haunted? 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. It's estimated that 40 percent of slave owners may have been white women. Following the death of his wife Alexander Mitchell remarried and sold the plantation to Isaac and Catherine Winston and moved to Philadelphia in 1833. Voice your opinion here! I was born and raised in Tuscumbia. The abandonment of the home was the largest cause of its deterioration and the vandalism that occurred at Belle Mont. 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. 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. In addition, volunteers from the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation assist as docents for special events and participate in fund-raising activities. 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674 View Map CONTACT Site Director: Ninon Parker Museum: 256- 381-5052 Email: bellemontmansion@gmail.com Be specific. 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. Marble bust of Helen Keller. Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! 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. Use the "Browse" or "Choose File" button below to select an image to upload along with your comment. The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. It has a staff of three: a site director, curator, and tour guide. This style stems from the neoclassical architectural design of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. I havent asked in years the last I remember I think I may have heard it was being restored but privately owned and with no plans to open to the public. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. Very little historic data, including census records, include last names of those who were enslaved, making it challenging to locate descendents through geneaology records. It also reflects the vulnerability of American businesses to the whims of leftist protest movements. In. Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. 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. The modern application of this practice is also redolent of any of those ancient heresies that are uncomfortable with the complicated reality that vice and virtue, spiritual and material, co-exist within the human experience. . A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. These families included the Baker and Snowden families, among others. Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of time. One day toward the end of the project, My friend Ronnie and I went down to remove what was left from an old tree my Dad had cut down the day before and other light work. 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. 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. Is it not appropriate to celebrate momentous occasions in beautiful places? 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. The Belle Mont Mansion was constructed from 1828-1832. Owned by the Alabama Historical Commission and operated by the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation. You feel things passing by you. LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Shoals, Shoals Young Democrats and Rev. Open Letter Plantation Christmas by Jonece on Scribd. Just one if many weird, cant explain it things that have happened here. The designer is unknown but seems to have been influenced by Thomas Jefferson's ideas and style. 68 were here. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! 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. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. 2008-2023 AlabamaHauntedHouses.com. 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? Founded in 2008, AlabamaHauntedHouses.com is a simple and unique online haunted event & attraction resource created to make it easy for locals to find Haunted House, Spook Walk, Corn Maze, and other Halloween Attractions in their local area. If such locales have tragic histories, this is all the more reason to reimagine them in ways that both recognize and overcome that past. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Over the years, this historic mansion has been restored to its original pre-Civil War appearance. === A monument was errected in 2008 on the old Henry Courthouse square in Martinsville, VA. . Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. Chronological snobbery, as C.S. What do you think? The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. It was the centerpiece of a 1,760 acre cotton plantation and had one of the largest slave populations in the state. So I like have some family history about the mansion and my aunt found a man and fell in love with him and they both LOVE history and so they both had there wedding at the Belle mont mansion and I was the flower girl and I havent seen the upstairs of the mansion so Im not sure if it really is haunted I really want to find out more the reason why I started searching this up was bc my great aunt works at my school library and she started talking about it and reading us storys about it. Gradually, the family gatherings became less frequent until the home was completely abandoned. Have a haunt/halloween related news story or a tip? Beyond Jesus Revolution: 10 Outside-The-Box Faith-Based Films On The Horizon, Major Doctors Organization Publicly Embraces Dismembering Babies Until Birth, Congress Quietly Left The Door Open To Funneling More Tax Dollars To EcoHealth Research In China For National Security, Utah Considers Ranked-Choice Voting In Primaries Despite Disasters In Alaska And Maine. According to the letter, Christmas was a disturbing time for the enslaved. Her aunt, who was only a few years older than her, got busted sneaking in/vandalizing the mansion. 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. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Constructed in the 1820s, Belle Mont fell into ruin until the Alabama Historical Commission rescued it in the 1980s. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other local regulations. Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. The property is also available for tours Thursday through Sunday and for special event rentals. At first you think this is all in your imagination. My Dad bought it at that time. Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! Plantations used for bourgeois ceremonies with language that obscures or even glorifies the estates dark past are one example. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The historic home is the site of the annual Art of the Dish this week. Belle Mont Mansion has resumed normal operating hours and will be operating at reduced capacity to safeguard against COVID-19. All rights reserved. Then you maybe talk to family members and realize everyone feels the same way. The Knot, WeddingWire, and Pinterest are seeking to limit content on their websites that promotes Southern plantations as a wedding venue. Belle Mont Mansion is being restored and partially furnished to reflect the antebellum, or pre-Civil War, time period. Belle Mont isnt included in either of Kathryn Tucker Windhams books about Alabama ghosts. 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). Last edit to this listing: 1/16/2016 (2604 days ago). Lewis called our tendency to view our own age as superior to others, is a dark chasm ending in our own destruction. This was just word of mouth and may not have been accurate, but Im glad to hear it can be toured. William F. Buckleys popularization of Eric Voegelins warning is apt: Dont immanentize the eschaton!. Do not use all capital letters. Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont, Discover the largest house built in Tennesse. Three years later, during the middle of the. We went back there, and I finished the project, with help from all was involved. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands.
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