Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? If such locales have tragic histories, this is all the more reason to reimagine them in ways that both recognize and overcome that past. We went back there, and I finished the project, with help from all was involved. 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. . Blanket from Belle Mont Mansion. The house is listed on the National Historic Registry (#19820223). Located in the middle of the Belmont University campusbehind Freeman Hall. 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. "Others feared the upcoming slave auctions commonly held in January and February in north Alabama as well as upcoming contracts for slave labor that was 'hired out.'". Earlier this month, prodded by the group Color of Change, four wedding websites said they . belle mont mansion slaves July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022. The Winston family maintained ownership and continued living in Belle Mont through the Civil War and until around 1940. First, there is no such thing as a slave plantation. There are cotton plantations, sugar plantations, tobacco plantations, etc., etc., but no slave plantations. Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! At the time, the name of the plantation was not Gay Mont, but Rose Hill. All rights reserved. Contact the museum for current rates, policies, and an application. 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 other residents seem to tolerate it OK, but I hate it. However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. The coalition said the event celebrated white supremacy by ignoring the enslaved people who labored at the cotton plantation. Your email address will not be published. The home was built. The Belle Mont Mansion was constructed from 1828-1832. A majority of rooms in Belmont Mansion have been meticulously restored. Sign up for our newsletter and receive Halloween event updates, discounts and more! Some visitors say that the building . Clicks to Website: 293 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. Indeed, I wonder how many black Americans even have a deceased grandparent who could have had a memory of antebellum America. 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. Id suggest a far better solution for prospective newlyweds, regardless of race or ethnicity, would be to get married where they should: in a church. In 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." In 1790, John Hipkins purchased the property from the Conway family and in 1791 built Belle Grove for his only child, Fannie. The answer will always be a mystery. Open Letter Plantation Christmas by Jonece on Scribd. 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. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio," (Commission 2). Went back into the cellar a coupple more times, but never had that akward feeling again. Please report any inaccuracies. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. 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. He says, the man that lives in that house. still pointing. No haunted tours for me. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. The celebration of a Plantation Christmas is racist, the letter reads. But she never mentioned any slave ghosts. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. "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. 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). 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. My great great great great grandfather used to live at the belle mont mansion ! In 1833, the property was bought by Issac Williams, who owned 119 enslaved people by 1855. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. I have heard quiet voices in the night. Tell Us About Your Experience(s) at Belle Mont. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. 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. Stay safe. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. Administrative use only. The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. Belle Mont Mansion , built circa 1828, is one of the few examples of Palladian-style houses in Alabama. We also dont need to police their repurposing. Marble bust of Helen Keller. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands. 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. Not-So-Scary Haunted Houses (Kid Friendly). The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. 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! I remember her sounding really flippant about it and me wondering how being shot at was not a big deal! Be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray, Georgia Senate Passes Bill To Close Sneaky 'Zuckbucks 2.0' Loopholes, 3 Things Anti-America Agitator Angela Davis Can Learn From Her Pilgrim Ancestors, Just Like Real Socialism, Real Feudalism Has Never Been Tried, Amid Personal Loss, Washington And Lincoln Became Fathers Of Their Country. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. 2008-2023 AlabamaHauntedHouses.com. But fewer probably know that it . Not sure if it did or not but sure does fit. Please contact nps.submissions@gmail.com for more information. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few Palladian-style houses in the Deep South. Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. Doors open and close. Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. Discover the largest house built in Tennessee prior to the Civil War. Its just really weird that we both saw this happen at the exact same time. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? Disclaimer: Alabama Haunted Houses does not endorse or support trespassing to visit real haunts. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! 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). Now, thats poetic justice. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. You can imagine me trying to picture my great aunt doing this, haha! Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. Montvale, the farm at Belmont, was destroyed in 1864. 68 were here. One account is from young William Acklin, a enslaved worker, and the other from a visitor to the estate. The National Paranormal Society is not responsible for individuals, teams and submissions listed on the NPS website. The letter was signed by social justice groups Project Say Something, Standing in Power, of Decatur, and Beyond the Women's March. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. 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. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! 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. 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? Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. The Miracle Worker organ. For some reason a lot of places in Tuscumbia AL are haunted. Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other local regulations. 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. It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. It was one of those drizzly unpleasant days, so after a while I went into the Cellar area of the plantation. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. Share Your Experience or Comments - Belle Mont. 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. So all the people who work at these historic plantations, regardless of their race, sex, or income, must suffer the economic consequences of what feelings their employers history might provoke. 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. Have a haunt/halloween related news story or a tip? This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. It has a staff of three: a site director, curator, and tour guide. Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. 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. Jonece Starr Dunigan | jdunigan@reckonmedia.com, hired a black historian to research the site's enslavement history, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers. 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. LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Shoals, Shoals Young Democrats and Rev. Belle Mont isnt included in either of Kathryn Tucker Windhams books about Alabama ghosts. Voice your opinion here! It is best to play gospel or Christian radio in your house 24/7 to make them move on. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. 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. This is not a good thing. The site originally served as the centerpiece for the large scale cotton. Belle Mont Mansion has been listed under several names through its history. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. "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. All rights reserved (About Us). And have seen shadows and once a figure of a person. She said he would come out shooting if he caught trespassers. Then they could celebrate their wedding reception at a Southern manor and have a hell of a good time. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Located in the heart of Nashville on the Belmont University Campus. The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee.