This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. I grew up in Florence and my Great Grandmother lived near the mansion on Colbert Heights mountain. Tickets may also be purchased by credit card by calling the museum at 256-381-5052 or online . All rights reserved. "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. 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. It is best to play gospel or Christian radio in your house 24/7 to make them move on. Over the years, this historic mansion has been restored to its original pre-Civil War appearance. 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. 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). 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. Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Miracle Worker organ. Records of the property's destruction includes information related to the number of slave dwellings on the property. Let us know! This was just word of mouth and may not have been accurate, but Im glad to hear it can be toured. Owned by the Alabama Historical Commission and operated by the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation. 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. Use of the directory is at the discretion of the individual. Required fields are marked *. Before you visit ANY local real haunt, make sure to acquire the appropriate permits and/or permissions, and be respectful of privately owned properties. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. The voices in the night are the hardest to explain away. The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. 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? Ken is a graphic designer, web developer and co-founder of One True Paranormal, a para-group in southwest Missouri. 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? It also reflects the vulnerability of American businesses to the whims of leftist protest movements. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. One account is from young William Acklin, a enslaved worker, and the other from a visitor to the estate. 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. Group rates available. Clicks to Website: 293 The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Just outside the city of Tuscumbia, the 700+ acre Cane Creek Canyon Nature . Indeed, I wonder how many black Americans even have a deceased grandparent who could have had a memory of antebellum America. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and receive Halloween event updates, discounts and more! 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 groups who are critiquing the event in Tuscumbia believe historical sites must be honest and respectful. 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. Very little historic data, including census records, include last names of those who were enslaved, making it challenging to locate descendents through geneaology records. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. ?????? Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers. The Winston family maintained ownership and continued living in Belle Mont through the Civil War and until around 1940. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. Related Videos Video #1 Slave child's doll inside Belle Mont Mansion. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few Palladian-style houses in the Deep South. Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! What county in Alabama had the most slaves? Moreover, the entire. Open Letter Plantation Christmas by Jonece on Scribd. He says, the man that lives in that house. still pointing. We went back there, and I finished the project, with help from all was involved. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! Plantation Christmas at Belle Mont is held annually the first Sunday in December and features period costumed interpreters, decorations, refreshments, and entertainment. Group of women standing outside Belle Mont Mansion. As of Thursday morning, Alabama Historical Commission members have not responded to the letter or AL.coms emails and phone calls. In addition, volunteers from the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation assist as docents for special events and participate in fund-raising activities. The celebration of a Plantation Christmas is racist, the letter reads. All rights reserved (About Us). The tell when I was growing up was that the book 13 Alabama Ghosts held a tell from that house. It's currently operated as a museum, and tours are available. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. Gift Shop (111 S. Main St., Tuscumbia). The organization behind this growing movement, Color of Change, indicts vendors for using words like breathtaking to describe plantations. The Conway family purchased the property in 1670 and it remained in the family for 120 years. 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. Magnificently sited on a commanding hilltop, Belle Mont is one of early Alabama's crowning architectural achievements.. 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. The letter was signed by social justice groups Project Say Something, Standing in Power, of Decatur, and Beyond the Women's March. Click "thumbs up" if you think its haunted, or "thumbs down" if you think its all just a tall tale. This 1860 census, also called a Slave Schedule, provides a limited picture of all who were living at Belmont and where they lived. 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. Belle Mont isnt included in either of Kathryn Tucker Windhams books about Alabama ghosts. 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). I dont know any ghost stories but my mother tells a few funny stories. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Nearby, an early 1800s mansion, Belle Mont, is available for touring. The only way to avoid offending anyone would be to stop celebrating anything, anywhere, at any time. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! Following the death of his wife Alexander Mitchell remarried and sold the plantation to Isaac and Catherine Winston and moved to Philadelphia in 1833. 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. Is this place really haunted? 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. 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). Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. 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. 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 A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. Belle Meade plantation is one of the premier plantations in Tennessee and one of the top attractions in the state. This mansion is believed to have been influenced by Palladian style architecture for which Thomas Jefferson is known. 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. My Dad bought it at that time. 68 were here. What do you think? The answer will always be a mystery. Mr. Winston was a cousin of Dolly Madison, Patrick Henry, and Isaac Cole, who was a personal friend and secretary of President Thomas Jefferson. 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. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know! Peace to everyone. 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. Contextualizing former slave plantations has been a concern across the nation. A majority of rooms in Belmont Mansion have been meticulously restored. While slavery is often associated with large plantations, the institution permeated Southern culture. Contact the museum for current rates, policies, and an application. Then you maybe talk to family members and realize everyone feels the same way. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. Not sure if it did or not but sure does fit. The site originally served as the centerpiece for the large scale cotton. An Alabama Historical Commission site, Belle Mont was built 1828-1832 and is one of the state's first great plantation houses. General Martin retired to his Belle Mont plantation at Leatherwood, which he purchased in 1796 from Benjamin Harrison V of Berkeley Plantation. 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. 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 possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? Protest movements that perceive victimization and microaggression under every rock also wreak havoc on our countrys economy. 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. Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of time. Belle Mont Mansion | Tuscumbia AL 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. 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. Montvale, the farm at Belmont, was destroyed in 1864. Is it not appropriate to celebrate momentous occasions in beautiful places? 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. Please contact nps.submissions@gmail.com for more information. He was not buried on the property as many legends say but in the Winston Family Cemetery in Tuscumbia as was his wife Catherine who died July 25, 1884. complete with original and period furniture, artwork and statuary. Being new to the area, none of us knew of the Belmont Mansion or its location. It was built by Joseph and Adelicia Acklen to serve as the center of their 180-acre summer estate in what was then country outside the city, and featured elaborate gardens and a zoo. Small items like dimes and nails are moved. My great great great great grandfather used to live at the belle mont mansion ! Happy haunting! Indeed, it was brutal and terrifying. I asked, Do you see him now? in a jested way as I awkwardly half-smile to my wife. Discover the largest house built in Tennessee prior to the Civil War. 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. Ninon Parker puts candles out on the table fully set for dinner at Belle Mont Mansion in Colbert County. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. The property is also available for tours Thursday through Sunday and for special event rentals. Marble bust of Helen Keller. 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. 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! 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. Positioned on a commanding hilltop, Belle Mont Mansion is one of Alabama's crowning architectural achievements. "It is unacceptable to subject the descendants of enslaved African Americans to whitewashed versions of history that ignore their ancestors experience.". Use the "Browse" or "Choose File" button below to select an image to upload along with your comment. The use of the NPS name for any unauthorized events or activities is strictly prohibited. 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. 2019 was the year it finally became socially unacceptable to use a historic plantation as a wedding venue. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! Yes, its true that some historical artifacts across Americas landscape are honored in ways that belittle or demean our fellow countrymen. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. I remember her sounding really flippant about it and me wondering how being shot at was not a big deal! Its important the reality of what happened in these spaces is present, versus a romanticization of human rights abuses.. Indeed, it is the Christian character of America that has allowed us to recognize and seek to rectify our past errors. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands. William F. Buckleys popularization of Eric Voegelins warning is apt: Dont immanentize the eschaton!. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. The answer will always be a mystery. The letter was also sent to Ninon Parker, who is listed as a site director for the Belle Mont Mansion. You feel things passing by you. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. If you have lived in a haunted house you will not find this fun. Belle Mont was built for Alexander Williams Mitchell, who grew up in Louisa County, Virginia, only 25 miles from Jefferson's home at Monticello. You can imagine me trying to picture my great aunt doing this, haha! Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. The designer is unknown but seems to have been influenced by Thomas Jefferson's ideas and style. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. 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 architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. It once stretched over 5400 acres and hosted celebrities, presidents, and countless southern gentlemen. 2008-2023 AlabamaHauntedHouses.com. I got chills then tried to write it off. 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." Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. Simply by virtue of ones social justice warrior credentials and alleged victimhood status, these people deputize themselves the cultural police of our history, our language, and now apparently our wedding venues. This style stems from the neoclassical architectural design of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. The other residents seem to tolerate it OK, but I hate it. I have heard quiet voices in the night. 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. Even though it is now just 24 acres, many of the important elements remain. 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. 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. Many of them, even their detractors must admit, are beautiful, both in reference to their natural surroundings and their architecture. Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other local regulations. View all AHC Owned Historic Houses & Museums. The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. For some reason a lot of places in Tuscumbia AL are haunted. 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. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. Administrative use only. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio," (Commission 2). My daughter and I have both heard clear voices that sound kind of far away, but you can understand them. What Todays Cultural Marxists Would Be Wise To Learn From Martin Luther King Jr. Earlier this month, prodded by the group Color of Change, four wedding websites said they . Went back into the cellar a coupple more times, but never had that akward feeling again. Its two-story north entrance salon is flanked on either side by a formal dining room and parlor. 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. Casey Chalk is a senior contributor at The Federalist and an editor and columnist at The New Oxford Review. The house is listed on the National Historic Registry (#19820223). No profanity. 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. Most Americans know that George Washington owned enslaved people at his Mount Vernon home. "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. 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. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few . 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. Her aunt, who was only a few years older than her, got busted sneaking in/vandalizing the mansion. Catholics in the 19th century suffered violent assaults at the hands of anti-papist mobs on the streets of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. Stay safe. Doors open and close. In each society and in each generation slaves adjusted and . Haunted Vacations, Adventures and Mysteries. It's estimated that 40 percent of slave owners may have been white women. But fewer probably know that it . 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. In 1790, John Hipkins purchased the property from the Conway family and in 1791 built Belle Grove for his only child, Fannie. A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. Advertised as an event where people can experience the "hospitality of the Old South", "A Plantation Christmas" was held at the Belle Mont Mansion on Sunday evening. Just one if many weird, cant explain it things that have happened here. I was born and raised in Tuscumbia. No haunted tours for me. 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. Chronological snobbery, as C.S. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Three years later, during the middle of the. The antebellum plantation experience, as lived by the enslaved, was neither happy nor joyous. The answer will always be a mystery. . Would like to know if anyone does know anything about it and any info in accordance with that reference. Because of the tragedies that transpired therin, they powerfully communicate how far America has come. Share Your Experience or Comments - Belle Mont. LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Shoals, Shoals Young Democrats and Rev. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. Surely, we do not want to pretend these places dont have a violent, racist past. In 1833, the property was bought by Issac Williams, who owned 119 enslaved people by 1855. Plantations used for bourgeois ceremonies with language that obscures or even glorifies the estates dark past are one example. Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. Now, thats poetic justice. Four bedrooms surround the rear or south courtyard, forming its U-shaped brick exterior. 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. First, there is no such thing as a slave plantation. There are cotton plantations, sugar plantations, tobacco plantations, etc., etc., but no slave plantations.

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