If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Tell Us About Your Experience(s) at Belle Mont. An Alabama Historical Commission site, Belle Mont was built 1828-1832 and is one of the state's first great plantation houses. This gets to the broader dilemma with our zeitgeist, which combines woke deconstructionism with a modern version of damnatio memoriae, or condemnation of memory, an ancient Roman practice whereby persons vilified by the state were erased from public memory. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. 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 celebration of a Plantation Christmas is racist, the letter reads. 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. Belle Mont Mansion | Haunted Places | Tuscumbia, AL 35674 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. Slavery at Belmont - old page | belmontmansion Records of the property's destruction includes information related to the number of slave dwellings on the property. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. Belle Mont Mansion | Tuscumbia AL The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. 2019 was the year it finally became socially unacceptable to use a historic plantation as a wedding venue. 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. Blanket from Belle Mont Mansion. I got chills then tried to write it off. 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. Gift Shop (111 S. Main St., Tuscumbia). Over the years, this historic mansion has been restored to its original pre-Civil War appearance. 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. 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. If People Can't Get Married On Plantations, They Can't Marry Anywhere 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. Contextualizing former slave plantations has been a concern across the nation. 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. What do you think? General Martin retired to his Belle Mont plantation at Leatherwood, which he purchased in 1796 from Benjamin Harrison V of Berkeley 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. Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other local regulations. 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. Marble bust of Helen Keller. Its also not as if Dixie estates were the only sites where acts of brutality were committed by one group of Americans against another. Its important the reality of what happened in these spaces is present, versus a romanticization of human rights abuses.. The tell when I was growing up was that the book 13 Alabama Ghosts held a tell from that house. Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville TN: Horses, History, Wine Lewis called our tendency to view our own age as superior to others, is a dark chasm ending in our own destruction. 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. Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! William F. Buckleys popularization of Eric Voegelins warning is apt: Dont immanentize the eschaton!. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. Located in the middle of the Belmont University campusbehind Freeman Hall. The only way to avoid offending anyone would be to stop celebrating anything, anywhere, at any time. 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. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. The 7 Best Plantation Day Trips And Tours In Alabama - OnlyInYourState Before you visit ANY local real haunt, make sure to acquire the appropriate permits and/or permissions, and be respectful of privately owned properties. I remember her sounding really flippant about it and me wondering how being shot at was not a big deal! Plantation Christmas at Belle Mont is held annually the first Sunday in December and features period costumed interpreters, decorations, refreshments, and entertainment. 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 - 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. You can imagine me trying to picture my great aunt doing this, haha! Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. Indeed, it was brutal and terrifying. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Most Americans know that George Washington owned enslaved people at his Mount Vernon home. 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. Is it not appropriate to celebrate momentous occasions in beautiful places? Plantations represent none of those things, declared a Pinterest spokesman, calling the glamorization of these estates a disrespectful practice. Pinterest visitors who search for plantation weddings or similar terms will now be warned that some results may violate the sites policies, de facto making plantations the equivalent of pornography. 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. Nanyehi was among the first Cherokee to own African-American slaves. This 1860 census, also called a Slave Schedule, provides a limited picture of all who were living at Belmont and where they lived. 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. 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. According to the letter, Christmas was a disturbing time for the enslaved. 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. Being new to the area, none of us knew of the Belmont Mansion or its location. The designer is unknown but seems to have been influenced by Thomas Jefferson's ideas and style. Art of the Dish at the Historic Belle Mont Mansion | Gallery 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," (Commission 2). Moreover, the entire country was once the land of American Indians, and a good deal of it deceptively or violently taken from them. The abandonment of the home was the largest cause of its deterioration and the vandalism that occurred at Belle Mont. Belle Mont Mansion has resumed normal operating hours and will be operating at reduced capacity to safeguard against COVID-19. The Massive, Overlooked Role of Female Slave Owners But fewer probably know that it . Related Videos Video #1 belle mont mansion slaves July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022. 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. The answer will always be a mystery. Their appetites will not be satisfied until all things and persons associated with injustice, real or imagined, are expunged from public experience and memory. It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. complete with original and period furniture, artwork and statuary. I dont know any ghost stories but my mother tells a few funny stories. 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. I grew up in Florence and my Great Grandmother lived near the mansion on Colbert Heights mountain. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,. 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. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. The other residents seem to tolerate it OK, but I hate it. Belle Mont | Tuscumbia Alabama | Real Haunted Place Administrative use only. 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. Let us know! The coalition said the event celebrated white supremacy by ignoring the enslaved people who labored at the cotton plantation. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. My wife and I went to the mansion and learned of its peculiarities from the informative guide person. Its two-story north entrance salon is flanked on either side by a formal dining room and parlor. The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. A tour of this Nashville plantation tells the story . 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. Jones says her new title is one she holds . Yes, its true that some historical artifacts across Americas landscape are honored in ways that belittle or demean our fellow countrymen. 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. Click "thumbs up" if you think its haunted, or "thumbs down" if you think its all just a tall tale. Group of women standing outside Belle Mont Mansion. 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 rights reserved (About Us). Plantation Home Tours in Alabama | Getaway USA - The Arizona Republic Belle mont mansion slaves - yjgp.hendrik-aus-e.de This was just word of mouth and may not have been accurate, but Im glad to hear it can be toured. 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. 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. Open Letter Plantation Christmas by Jonece on Scribd. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. Haunted Vacations, Adventures and Mysteries. Belle Mont Mansion is located outside of Tuscumbia. Be specific. Montvale, the farm at Belmont, was destroyed in 1864. And in the process, these attacks have unintended economic consequences on working-class Americans. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands. The National Paranormal Society is not responsible for individuals, teams and submissions listed on the NPS website. 3. The house is listed on the National Historic Registry (#19820223). You feel things passing by you. 2008-2023 AlabamaHauntedHouses.com. 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. 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. Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. Tickets may also be purchased by credit card by calling the museum at 256-381-5052 or online . Belle Mont was built for Alexander Williams Mitchell, who grew up in Louisa County, Virginia, only 25 miles from Jefferson's home at Monticello. He has a bachelors in history and masters in teaching from the University of Virginia and a masters in theology from Christendom College. In a letter sent to multiple Alabama Historical Commission officials Tuesday night, the coalition demanded an apology as well as a promise to no longer hold events supporting tours and events that "deny the brutality of the past." Marble bust of Helen Keller. e prior to the Civil War. It also reflects the vulnerability of American businesses to the whims of leftist protest movements. I have experienced some very strange things in my home. Nearby, an early 1800s mansion, Belle Mont, is available for touring. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. 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. Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of time. Shes told me that prior to the restorations the mansion was a prime site for local teens to be dumb kids trespass, vandalize, etc. 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). Ninon Parker puts candles out on the table fully set for dinner at Belle Mont Mansion in Colbert County. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! Plantation Christmas event near Tuscumbia 'racist', groups say This design is derived from the neoclassical architectural style of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. 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. 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. 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