Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Visitors to this page: 3,182 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 abandonment of the home was the largest cause of its deterioration and the vandalism that occurred at Belle Mont. In. The historic home is the site of the annual Art of the Dish this week. 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 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). 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. 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. At Belmont, several extended families lived in slavery over the course of several generations. 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. 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. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! Many of them, even their detractors must admit, are beautiful, both in reference to their natural surroundings and their architecture. It was the centerpiece of a 1,760 acre cotton plantation and had one of the largest slave populations in the state. Her eyes, big as saucers, alarm me. Mr. Winston was a cousin of Dolly Madison, Patrick Henry, and Isaac Cole, who was a personal friend and secretary of President Thomas Jefferson. The answer will always be a mystery. It has a staff of three: a site director, curator, and tour guide. Use the "Browse" or "Choose File" button below to select an image to upload along with your comment. The organization behind this growing movement, Color of Change, indicts vendors for using words like breathtaking to describe plantations. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. Will NOT be displayed. Its also not as if Dixie estates were the only sites where acts of brutality were committed by one group of Americans against another. 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. What county in Alabama had the most slaves? Let us know! 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. The property is also available for tours Thursday through Sunday and for special event rentals. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. 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? 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. In each society and in each generation slaves adjusted and . Belle Mont attracts approximately 5,000 visitors each year. 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? An Alabama Historical Commission site, Belle Mont was built 1828-1832 and is one of the state's first great plantation houses. Casey Chalk is a senior contributor at The Federalist and an editor and columnist at The New Oxford Review. 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674 View Map CONTACT Site Director: Ninon Parker Museum: 256- 381-5052 Email: bellemontmansion@gmail.com I contacted the historic society to find out about the planned restoration project that I had heard about, and asked if I could assist as part of my Eagle Scout project in the Boy Scouts. The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. The coalition said the event celebrated white supremacy by ignoring the enslaved people who labored at the cotton plantation. The underlying premise of the anti-plantation movement is that Southern plantations cannot be romanticized. It was one of those drizzly unpleasant days, so after a while I went into the Cellar area of the plantation. One night while we were both watching TV in the den with the lights off, we both saw two colored orbs gliding through the room from the back door toward the closet, then they disappeared. Be happy. 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. Not sure if it did or not but sure does fit. 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. Surely, we do not want to pretend these places dont have a violent, racist past. Voice your opinion here! Group of women standing outside Belle Mont Mansion. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. 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. Please contact nps.submissions@gmail.com for more information. It once stretched over 5400 acres and hosted celebrities, presidents, and countless southern gentlemen. 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. Not-So-Scary Haunted Houses (Kid Friendly). Contact the museum for current rates, policies, and an application. Please report any inaccuracies. I got chills then tried to write it off. The designer is unknown but seems to have been influenced by Thomas Jefferson's ideas and style. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few . It is best to play gospel or Christian radio in your house 24/7 to make them move on. Small items like dimes and nails are moved. In addition, volunteers from the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation assist as docents for special events and participate in fund-raising activities. 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). A majority of rooms in Belmont Mansion have been meticulously restored. Belle Mont Mansion , built circa 1828, is one of the few examples of Palladian-style houses in Alabama. I have heard quiet voices in the night. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. General Martin retired to his Belle Mont plantation at Leatherwood, which he purchased in 1796 from Benjamin Harrison V of Berkeley Plantation. She said he would come out shooting if he caught trespassers. 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. The Belle Mont Mansion was constructed from 1828-1832. 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. Catholics in the 19th century suffered violent assaults at the hands of anti-papist mobs on the streets of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? 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. Indeed, it was brutal and terrifying. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. 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. Positioned on a commanding hilltop, Belle Mont Mansion is one of Alabama's crowning architectural achievements. Couple looking at a car in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Shoals, Shoals Young Democrats and Rev. It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. Stories of the Past - Conversations for the Future. The tell when I was growing up was that the book 13 Alabama Ghosts held a tell from that house. Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation, Inc. is the support group in charge of operating the site. Records of the property's destruction includes information related to the number of slave dwellings on the property. Nearby, an early 1800s mansion, Belle Mont, is available for touring. What do you think? Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. Moreover, the entire. Plantation Christmas at Belle Mont is held annually the first Sunday in December and features period costumed interpreters, decorations, refreshments, and entertainment. Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. My Dad bought it at that time. The only way to avoid offending anyone would be to stop celebrating anything, anywhere, at any time. 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 site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. Doors open and close. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,. We went back there, and I finished the project, with help from all was involved. Then they could celebrate their wedding reception at a Southern manor and have a hell of a good time. All rights reserved. Your CommentsHave a photograph taken from this location? As of Thursday morning, Alabama Historical Commission members have not responded to the letter or AL.coms emails and phone calls. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. 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 material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. For more information, click here. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Belle Mont Mansion | Tuscumbia AL At first you think this is all in your imagination. 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. Happy haunting! Last edit to this listing: 1/16/2016 (2604 days ago). belle mont mansion slaves July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022. One was a bluish light, the other one looked golden. One account is from young William Acklin, a enslaved worker, and the other from a visitor to the estate. 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. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! 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. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. . It has a staff of three: a site director, curator, and tour guide. Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. 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. Their appetites will not be satisfied until all things and persons associated with injustice, real or imagined, are expunged from public experience and memory. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. This was just word of mouth and may not have been accurate, but Im glad to hear it can be toured. Jones says her new title is one she holds . My wife and I went to the mansion and learned of its peculiarities from the informative guide person. Being new to the area, none of us knew of the Belmont Mansion or its location. Open Letter Plantation Christmas by Jonece on Scribd. Protest movements that perceive victimization and microaggression under every rock also wreak havoc on our countrys economy. You feel things passing by you. 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. Indeed, I wonder how many black Americans even have a deceased grandparent who could have had a memory of antebellum America. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. 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. 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. A tour of this Nashville plantation tells the story . All of these places, despite their histories, are objectively beautiful. This 1860 census, also called a Slave Schedule, provides a limited picture of all who were living at Belmont and where they lived. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. complete with original and period furniture, artwork and statuary. According to the Times Daily, the event, which has been a holiday tradition in the Muscle Shoals area for over 30 years, offered vintage ballroom dancing, food and tour guides dressed in Antebellum garb. This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. 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 However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. But she never mentioned any slave ghosts. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Ninon Parker puts candles out on the table fully set for dinner at Belle Mont Mansion in Colbert County. 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. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. 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. Went back into the cellar a coupple more times, but never had that akward feeling again. 2008-2023 AlabamaHauntedHouses.com. In 1790, John Hipkins purchased the property from the Conway family and in 1791 built Belle Grove for his only child, Fannie. The house is listed on the National Historic Registry (#19820223). ?????? This mansion is believed to have been influenced by Palladian style architecture for which Thomas Jefferson is known. Is this place really haunted? The groups who are critiquing the event in Tuscumbia believe historical sites must be honest and respectful. The Miracle Worker organ. The voices in the night are the hardest to explain away. Your email address will not be published. Montvale, the farm at Belmont, was destroyed in 1864. If such locales have tragic histories, this is all the more reason to reimagine them in ways that both recognize and overcome that past. The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. 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. Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. Marble bust of Helen Keller. Is it not appropriate to celebrate momentous occasions in beautiful places? Use of the directory is at the discretion of the individual. 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. Earlier this month, prodded by the group Color of Change, four wedding websites said they . 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. Just one if many weird, cant explain it things that have happened here. According to the letter, Christmas was a disturbing time for the enslaved. 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. We also dont need to police their repurposing. Peace to everyone. 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. Slave child's doll inside 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. 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. Haunted Vacations, Adventures and Mysteries. 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. All rights reserved. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. 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. 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. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. The site originally served as the centerpiece for the large scale cotton. Sign up for our newsletter and receive Halloween event updates, discounts and more! An example of this occurred in December, when a number of black medical students posed for a photo at a former slave plantation, a site some of them called holy. Heck, why not celebrate their graduation there? It was built in 1940 on some of the land near General John Coffees home. 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. 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? Stay safe. First, there is no such thing as a slave plantation. There are cotton plantations, sugar plantations, tobacco plantations, etc., etc., but no slave plantations. 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.