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. Blanket from Belle Mont Mansion. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. I have lived here since 1963. 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. A tour of this Nashville plantation tells the story . Strange are there actually any African Americans who have memories of the antebellum period, given that it ended 160 years ago? 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. Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont, Discover the largest house built in Tennesse. 68 were here. You feel things passing by you. As of Thursday morning, Alabama Historical Commission members have not responded to the letter or AL.coms emails and phone calls. Located in the middle of the Belmont University campusbehind Freeman Hall. Off Campus Book Store University of North Alabama, Norton Auditorium University of North Alabama. The property is also available for tours Thursday through Sunday and for special event rentals. Three years later, during the middle of the. 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. Belle Mont Mansion is a historic house museum open for guided tours. . Would like to know if anyone does know anything about it and any info in accordance with that reference. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. Well, all in all, me and my fellow troop members and family members spent about six weeks there, clearing underbrush, old trash, planting grass, removing small trees, etc. At the time, the name of the plantation was not Gay Mont, but Rose Hill. Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of time. 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. Mr. Winston was a cousin of Dolly Madison, Patrick Henry, and Isaac Cole, who was a personal friend and secretary of President Thomas Jefferson. Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. 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. 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. 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. For some reason a lot of places in Tuscumbia AL are haunted. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. Most Americans know that George Washington owned enslaved people at his Mount Vernon home. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! Following the death of his wife Alexander Mitchell remarried and sold the plantation to Isaac and Catherine Winston and moved to Philadelphia in 1833. She said he would come out shooting if he caught trespassers. Required fields are marked *. In 1790, John Hipkins purchased the property from the Conway family and in 1791 built Belle Grove for his only child, Fannie. 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. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. Although the actual design of Belle Mont is a mystery, this particular relationship provides a clue about the original designer, or at least his influence. The tell when I was growing up was that the book 13 Alabama Ghosts held a tell from that house. It is best to play gospel or Christian radio in your house 24/7 to make them move on. William F. Buckleys popularization of Eric Voegelins warning is apt: Dont immanentize the eschaton!. Its important the reality of what happened in these spaces is present, versus a romanticization of human rights abuses.. 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. Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers. 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. Have a haunt/halloween related news story or a tip? 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. You can imagine me trying to picture my great aunt doing this, haha! The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. The voices in the night are the hardest to explain away. At first you think this is all in your imagination. "It is unacceptable to subject the descendants of enslaved African Americans to whitewashed versions of history that ignore their ancestors experience.". Will we need Google to warn us that searching for such places or even worse, planning a vacation to visit them are microaggressive acts, as if we are unable to contemplate both the good and bad of such places? The home was built. Belle Mont Mansion is being restored and partially furnished to reflect the antebellum, or pre-Civil War, time period. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Slaves in the plantation generations were members of what Berlin calls "slave societies," where slavery was the primary source of labor. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio," (Commission 2). 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. Please contact nps.submissions@gmail.com for more information. Haunted Vacations, Adventures and Mysteries. Montvale, the farm at Belmont, was destroyed in 1864. It was one of those drizzly unpleasant days, so after a while I went into the Cellar area of the plantation. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! However, the staff continues to research as we endeavor to tell the stories of all who lived at Belmont. And in the process, these attacks have unintended economic consequences on working-class Americans. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! No haunted tours for me. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. I was born and raised in Tuscumbia. Records of the property's destruction includes information related to the number of slave dwellings on the property. This 1860 census, also called a Slave Schedule, provides a limited picture of all who were living at Belmont and where they lived. Although the actual design of Belle Mont is a mystery, this particular relationship provides a clue about the original designer, or at least his influence.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). 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. The answer will always be a mystery. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. All information on this page was submitted to Alabama Haunted Houses and was believed to be accurate at the time it was posted. Happy haunting! 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. The house is listed on the National Historic Registry (#19820223). My wife, son (age 5) and I were heading from Muscle Shoals to our home in Littleville after a night of shopping and eating. Things seem to be at their worst after midnight, until early dawn. 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. 3. 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. Just outside the city of Tuscumbia, the 700+ acre Cane Creek Canyon Nature . 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. Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. It has a staff of three: a site director, curator, and tour guide. Last edit to this listing: 1/16/2016 (2604 days ago). The answer will always be a mystery. Do not use all capital letters. 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. 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. 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. 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). Plantations used for bourgeois ceremonies with language that obscures or even glorifies the estates dark past are one example. 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. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. Is this place really haunted? Indeed, I wonder how many black Americans even have a deceased grandparent who could have had a memory of antebellum America. 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 abandonment of the home was the largest cause of its deterioration and the vandalism that occurred at Belle Mont. 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. ?????? It's estimated that 40 percent of slave owners may have been white women. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. Her eyes, big as saucers, alarm me. Your email address will not be published. The Conway family purchased the property in 1670 and it remained in the family for 120 years. Sign up for our newsletter and receive Halloween event updates, discounts and more! The answer will always be a mystery. 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. 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. 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. You can visit the historic Belle Mont Mansion at 1569 Cook Ln., Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674. Visitors to this page: 3,182 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. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know! Its also not as if Dixie estates were the only sites where acts of brutality were committed by one group of Americans against another. 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. 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. Lewis called our tendency to view our own age as superior to others, is a dark chasm ending in our own destruction. 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. Weddings should be a symbol of love and unity. This style stems from the neoclassical architectural design of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. 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. These families included the Baker and Snowden families, among others. Its just really weird that we both saw this happen at the exact same time. Then you maybe talk to family members and realize everyone feels the same way. Disclaimer: Alabama Haunted Houses does not endorse or support trespassing to visit real haunts. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,. Over the years, this historic mansion has been restored to its original pre-Civil War appearance. 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. This is not a good thing. Stay safe. 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. 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. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). 2008-2023 AlabamaHauntedHouses.com. Marble bust of Helen Keller. 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. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. The Belle Mont Mansion was constructed from 1828-1832. Open Letter Plantation Christmas by Jonece on Scribd. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. Even though it is now just 24 acres, many of the important elements remain. Wesley Thompson of Bethel Colbert Missionary Baptists Church also signed the letter. 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? A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. Indeed, it was brutal and terrifying. Voice your opinion here! 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 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. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. She said that at times, she, and others, would smell a floral scent like a womans perfume and get a cold feeling for no reason as if in the presence of a ghost. The organization behind this growing movement, Color of Change, indicts vendors for using words like breathtaking to describe plantations. Nearby, an early 1800s mansion, Belle Mont, is available for touring. For more information, click here. 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. In addition, volunteers from the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation assist as docents for special events and participate in fund-raising activities. Belle Meade plantation is one of the premier plantations in Tennessee and one of the top attractions in the state. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. 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. Tell Us About Your Experience(s) at Belle Mont. Related Videos Video #1 HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. 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. No profanity. Ken is a graphic designer, web developer and co-founder of One True Paranormal, a para-group in southwest Missouri. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674 View Map CONTACT Site Director: Ninon Parker Museum: 256- 381-5052 Email: bellemontmansion@gmail.com The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. Not sure if it did or not but sure does fit. Discover the largest house built in Tennessee prior to the Civil War. The only way to avoid offending anyone would be to stop celebrating anything, anywhere, at any time. In. Belle Mont Mansion is located outside of Tuscumbia. I mention this because Gay Mont was his home. 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. Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! He says, the man that lives in that house. still pointing. Administrative use only. 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. The use of the NPS name for any unauthorized events or activities is strictly prohibited. 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? 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. Being new to the area, none of us knew of the Belmont Mansion or its location. 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. It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. Share Your Experience or Comments - Belle Mont. Because of the tragedies that transpired therin, they powerfully communicate how far America has come. The groups who are critiquing the event in Tuscumbia believe historical sites must be honest and respectful. The antebellum plantation experience, as lived by the enslaved, was neither happy nor joyous. 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. 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. It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. I grew up in Florence and my Great Grandmother lived near the mansion on Colbert Heights mountain. Belle Mont Mansion , built circa 1828, is one of the few examples of Palladian-style houses in Alabama. It once stretched over 5400 acres and hosted celebrities, presidents, and countless southern gentlemen. The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. Belle Mont attracts approximately 5,000 visitors each year. I remember her sounding really flippant about it and me wondering how being shot at was not a big deal! He has a bachelors in history and masters in teaching from the University of Virginia and a masters in theology from Christendom College. Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont. I got chills then tried to write it off. 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 was just word of mouth and may not have been accurate, but Im glad to hear it can be toured. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. And have seen shadows and once a figure of a person. The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. "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. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. I dont know any ghost stories but my mother tells a few funny stories. 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. 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. Not-So-Scary Haunted Houses (Kid Friendly). Marble bust of Helen Keller. It also reflects the vulnerability of American businesses to the whims of leftist protest movements. Clicks to Website: 293 A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. 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.