Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Slaves in the plantation generations were members of what Berlin calls "slave societies," where slavery was the primary source of labor. 2019 was the year it finally became socially unacceptable to use a historic plantation as a wedding venue. At first you think this is all in your imagination. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. All rights reserved (About Us). === A monument was errected in 2008 on the old Henry Courthouse square in Martinsville, VA. . Her eyes, big as saucers, alarm me. e prior to the Civil War. It is said to be haunted by slaves who died on the grounds and also by former owners. Clicks to Website: 293 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). The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. 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. 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. 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. 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. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,The Winston family maintained ownership and continued living in Belle Mont through the Civil War and until around 1940. Admission: Adults $6; students, seniors, military $5; and children 6-18 $3. Id suggest a far better solution for prospective newlyweds, regardless of race or ethnicity, would be to get married where they should: in a church. In its zealous desire to right previous wrongs, this goes too far in the other direction, and in the process, undermines the historical fabric of our nation. Moreover, the entire. 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. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. It also reflects the vulnerability of American businesses to the whims of leftist protest movements. 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. Its important the reality of what happened in these spaces is present, versus a romanticization of human rights abuses.. Please report any inaccuracies. Belle Mont attracts approximately 5,000 visitors each year. 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). The only way to avoid offending anyone would be to stop celebrating anything, anywhere, at any time. Only a country with a conscience in our case informed by the Christian beliefs of our ancestors would bother to engage in the kinds of self-criticism and atonement visible in American society. Located in the middle of the Belmont University campusbehind Freeman Hall. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. Click "thumbs up" if you think its haunted, or "thumbs down" if you think its all just a tall tale. "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. General Martin retired to his Belle Mont plantation at Leatherwood, which he purchased in 1796 from Benjamin Harrison V of Berkeley Plantation. Then he didnt snap back and unadded me and my Freinds girlfriend said a woman followed us back to the car and as soon as we pulled out a car came out of no where like we seen no headlights the whole time and we get home And another Freind of mine gets a text and said we know you was here no trespassing and Said I had a picture taker (dont really know what that means) and he had a drink and a bag of chips and he threw it down and they said we found your snack. 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. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few . 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. My wife, son (age 5) and I were heading from Muscle Shoals to our home in Littleville after a night of shopping and eating. My son says, Yes, hes walking to the house. Having passed the sign and turn to the house, I realized there is no way he could have known of the house based on his not being able to read and having no pre-exposure to the houses existence. 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. This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. 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. 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. Indeed, it is the Christian character of America that has allowed us to recognize and seek to rectify our past errors. Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. View all AHC Owned Historic Houses & Museums. n 1832. 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. Following the death of his wife Alexander Mitchell remarried and sold the plantation to Isaac and Catherine Winston and moved to Philadelphia in 1833. Blue Star Museum: Belle Mont proudly offers free admission to active duty military personnel and their families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. 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. Its two-story north entrance salon is flanked on either side by a formal dining room and parlor. Belle Mont was built for Alexander Williams Mitchell, who grew up in Louisa County, Virginia, only 25 miles from Jefferson's home at Monticello. Positioned on a commanding hilltop, Belle Mont Mansion is one of Alabama's crowning architectural achievements. Visitors to this page: 3,182 Contact the museum for current rates, policies, and an application. This is a list of plantations and/or plantation houses in the U.S. state of Virginia that are National Historic Landmarks, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, other historic registers, or are otherwise significant for their history, association with significant events or people, or their architecture and design. Being new to the area, none of us knew of the Belmont Mansion or its location. Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. Jonece Starr Dunigan | jdunigan@reckonmedia.com, hired a black historian to research the site's enslavement history, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. "The celebration of a 'Plantation Christmas' represents a willful ignorance of the experience of enslaved people and a concocted memory of a joyous, white supremacist Christmas celebration," the letter said. According to the letter, Christmas was a disturbing time for the enslaved. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. The home was built. It was one of those drizzly unpleasant days, so after a while I went into the Cellar area of the plantation. Let us know! 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. Yet self-righteous assaults on these places and the many ways they are used will not bring restorative justice. Surely, we do not want to pretend these places dont have a violent, racist past. 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. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. The organization behind this growing movement, Color of Change, indicts vendors for using words like breathtaking to describe plantations. 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. Belle Mont Mansion , built circa 1828, is one of the few examples of Palladian-style houses in Alabama. All rights reserved. It once stretched over 5400 acres and hosted celebrities, presidents, and countless southern gentlemen. 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 voices in the night are the hardest to explain away. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! Plantation Christmas at Belle Mont is held annually the first Sunday in December and features period costumed interpreters, decorations, refreshments, and entertainment. Last edit to this listing: 1/16/2016 (2604 days ago). These families included the Baker and Snowden families, among others. Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont. However, the staff continues to research as we endeavor to tell the stories of all who lived at Belmont. My daughter and I have both heard clear voices that sound kind of far away, but you can understand them. He has a bachelors in history and masters in teaching from the University of Virginia and a masters in theology from Christendom College. Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. Then they could celebrate their wedding reception at a Southern manor and have a hell of a good time. He says, the man that lives in that house. still pointing. Four bedrooms surround the rear or south courtyard, forming its U-shaped brick exterior. A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. 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 The designer is unknown but seems to have been influenced by Thomas Jefferson's ideas and style. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Belle Mont Mansion Tuscumbia, Alabama 65.4 miles from Tupelo, MS. 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 each society and in each generation slaves adjusted and . Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. Located in the heart of Nashville on the Belmont University Campus. 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. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674 View Map CONTACT Site Director: Ninon Parker Museum: 256- 381-5052 Email: bellemontmansion@gmail.com However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. 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. This mansion is believed to have been influenced by Palladian style architecture for which Thomas Jefferson is known. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. 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! Mr. Winston was a cousin of Dolly Madison, Patrick Henry, and Isaac Cole, who was a personal friend and secretary of President Thomas Jefferson. What do you think? Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few Palladian-style houses in the Deep South. For more information, click here. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. Related Videos Video #1 The groups who are critiquing the event in Tuscumbia believe historical sites must be honest and respectful. 68 were here. You can visit the historic Belle Mont Mansion at 1569 Cook Ln., Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674. 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. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! It is best to play gospel or Christian radio in your house 24/7 to make them move on. As of Thursday morning, Alabama Historical Commission members have not responded to the letter or AL.coms emails and phone calls. Marble bust of Helen Keller. Chronological snobbery, as C.S. It was built in 1940 on some of the land near General John Coffees home. Weddings should be a symbol of love and unity. Over the years, this historic mansion has been restored to its original pre-Civil War appearance. Yes, its true that some historical artifacts across Americas landscape are honored in ways that belittle or demean our fellow countrymen. It was the centerpiece of a 1,760 acre cotton plantation and had one of the largest slave populations in the state. In 1790, John Hipkins purchased the property from the Conway family and in 1791 built Belle Grove for his only child, Fannie. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. 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. If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know! All information on this page was submitted to Alabama Haunted Houses and was believed to be accurate at the time it was posted. The site originally served as the centerpiece for the large scale cotton. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. No haunted tours for me. Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont, Discover the largest house built in Tennesse. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. Belle Mont isnt included in either of Kathryn Tucker Windhams books about Alabama ghosts. Gradually, the family gatherings became less frequent until the home was completely abandoned. 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. The Alabama Historical Commission owns this historic site. 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? Casey Chalk is a senior contributor at The Federalist and an editor and columnist at The New Oxford Review. A Pinterest representative, for example, announced that the website is working on de-indexing Google searches for plantation wedding. In December, a coalition of Alabama activists protested a Plantation Christmas event held at the Belle Mont Mansion near Tuscumbia, Alabama, because it memorialized white supremacist celebrations of Christmas. 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. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. Happy haunting! Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. Nanyehi was among the first Cherokee to own African-American slaves. My great great great great grandfather used to live at the belle mont mansion ! It was the centerpiece of a 1,760 acre cotton plantation and had one of the largest slave populations in the state. Earlier this month, prodded by the group Color of Change, four wedding websites said they . It has a staff of three: a site director, curator, and tour guide. Their appetites will not be satisfied until all things and persons associated with injustice, real or imagined, are expunged from public experience and memory. The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. The tell when I was growing up was that the book 13 Alabama Ghosts held a tell from that house. Ken is a graphic designer, web developer and co-founder of One True Paranormal, a para-group in southwest Missouri. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Stories of the Past - Conversations for the Future. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. If you have lived in a haunted house you will not find this fun. 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. Even though it is now just 24 acres, many of the important elements remain. The abandonment of the home was the largest cause of its deterioration and the vandalism that occurred at Belle Mont. What county in Alabama had the most slaves? This 1860 census, also called a Slave Schedule, provides a limited picture of all who were living at Belmont and where they lived. Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. Violence against blacks and other disenfranchised groups have occurred across our nation's landscape, many in popular and well-trod locales, North and South, East and West. But fewer probably know that it . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. All rights reserved. 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.
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