I asked, Do you see him now? in a jested way as I awkwardly half-smile to my wife. 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. Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. She said he would come out shooting if he caught trespassers. Located in the heart of Nashville on the Belmont University Campus. However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. 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. Belle Mont - Alabama Its important the reality of what happened in these spaces is present, versus a romanticization of human rights abuses.. Open Letter Plantation Christmas by Jonece on Scribd. Four bedrooms surround the rear or south courtyard, forming its U-shaped brick exterior. 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. 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 celebration of a Plantation Christmas is racist, the letter reads. Will NOT be displayed. 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 also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio," (Commission 2). 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. Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. 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. Use the "Browse" or "Choose File" button below to select an image to upload along with your comment. This design is derived from the neoclassical architectural style of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Marble bust of Helen Keller. 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. Belle Meade plantation is one of the premier plantations in Tennessee and one of the top attractions in the state. Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. === A monument was errected in 2008 on the old Henry Courthouse square in Martinsville, VA. . 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. Yet self-righteous assaults on these places and the many ways they are used will not bring restorative justice. Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. Your email address will not be published. Even though it is now just 24 acres, many of the important elements remain. Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont. Is it not appropriate to celebrate momentous occasions in beautiful places? Belmont Mansion (Tennessee) - Wikipedia For more information, click here. "It is unacceptable to subject the descendants of enslaved African Americans to whitewashed versions of history that ignore their ancestors experience.". Jones says her new title is one she holds . It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. Belle Mont Mansion | Haunted Places | Tuscumbia, AL 35674 Slaves in the plantation generations were members of what Berlin calls "slave societies," where slavery was the primary source of labor. Gift Shop (111 S. Main St., Tuscumbia). Blanket from Belle Mont Mansion. Plantation Christmas event near Tuscumbia 'racist', groups say He says, the man that lives in that house. still pointing. First, there is no such thing as a slave plantation. There are cotton plantations, sugar plantations, tobacco plantations, etc., etc., but no slave plantations. Administrative use only. Her eyes, big as saucers, alarm me. I have lived here since 1963. The site originally served as the centerpiece for the large scale cotton. All rights reserved. What county in Alabama had the most slaves? 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. All rights reserved. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands. 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674 View Map CONTACT Site Director: Ninon Parker Museum: 256- 381-5052 Email: bellemontmansion@gmail.com 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. 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. Most Americans know that George Washington owned enslaved people at his Mount Vernon home. One was a bluish light, the other one looked golden. The schooner Clotilda smuggled African captives into the U.S. in 1860, more than 50 years after importing slaves was outlawed. And in the process, these attacks have unintended economic consequences on working-class Americans. 2008-2023 AlabamaHauntedHouses.com. Belle Mont Mansion By Ken Weigandin Ashley Ann Lewis, Haunted Locations Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few Palladian-style houses in the Deep South. Peace to everyone. 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. If People Can't Get Married On Plantations, They Can't Marry Anywhere I mention this because Gay Mont was his home. The National Paranormal Society is not responsible for individuals, teams and submissions listed on the NPS website. 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. Society of slaves: stereotypes fall - Baltimore Sun 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. Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation, Inc. is the support group in charge of operating the site. belle mont mansion slaves Would like to know if anyone does know anything about it and any info in accordance with that reference. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. We have located just two first-hand accounts of slavery at Belmont. Group of women standing outside Belle Mont Mansion. Belle Mont Mansion | Tuscumbia AL - Facebook 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Belle mont mansion slaves - wqgme.astula.shop 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Belle Mont Mansion is located outside of Tuscumbia. The Conway family purchased the property in 1670 and it remained in the family for 120 years. It once stretched over 5400 acres and hosted celebrities, presidents, and countless southern gentlemen. It was the centerpiece of a 1,760 acre cotton plantation and had one of the largest slave populations in the state. 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. 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 | Tuscumbia AL 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. 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. Belle Mont Mansion has resumed normal operating hours and will be operating at reduced capacity to safeguard against COVID-19. Stories of the Past - Conversations for the Future. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Disclaimer: Alabama Haunted Houses does not endorse or support trespassing to visit real haunts. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen.
Some visitors say that the building . 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. Weddings should be a symbol of love and unity. Unlock premium content, ad-free browsing, and access to comments for just $4/month. The best-known ghost tale from each Alabama county - al.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. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? We also dont need to police their repurposing. However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The organization behind this growing movement, Color of Change, indicts vendors for using words like breathtaking to describe plantations. Then you maybe talk to family members and realize everyone feels the same way. The house is listed on the National Historic Registry (#19820223). Three years later, during the middle of the. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. As of Thursday morning, Alabama Historical Commission members have not responded to the letter or AL.coms emails and phone calls. Contextualizing former slave plantations has been a concern across the nation. You feel things passing by you. . 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. Gradually, the family gatherings became less frequent until the home was completely abandoned. When i was 17 years old, Belle Mont Plantation house was in very bad shape and had not had any restoration done to it yet. 68 were here. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. 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. Records of the property's destruction includes information related to the number of slave dwellings on the property. One account is from young William Acklin, a enslaved worker, and the other from a visitor to the estate. It also reflects the vulnerability of American businesses to the whims of leftist protest movements. All rights reserved (About Us). This mansion is believed to have been influenced by Palladian style architecture for which Thomas Jefferson is known. The answer will always be a mystery. My daughter and I have both heard clear voices that sound kind of far away, but you can understand them. Earlier this month, prodded by the group Color of Change, four wedding websites said they . According to the letter, Christmas was a disturbing time for the enslaved. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. How Did Slaves Get To Alabama? - CLJ 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. I was born and raised in Tuscumbia. 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). Haunted Places in Tupelo, Mississippi Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. Belle Mont | Tuscumbia Alabama | Real Haunted Place Tell Us About Your Experience(s) 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. Sign up for our newsletter and receive Halloween event updates, discounts and more! 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. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. 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? 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. Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. Shes told me that prior to the restorations the mansion was a prime site for local teens to be dumb kids trespass, vandalize, etc. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,.
Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. I dont know any ghost stories but my mother tells a few funny stories. I have experienced some very strange things in my home. The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of 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 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. 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. Couple looking at a car in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. 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). Clicks to Website: 293
Belmont Mansion | Nashville Historic House Museum History - Belle Mont Mansion All information on this page was submitted to Alabama Haunted Houses and was believed to be accurate at the time it was posted. 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. Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other local regulations. Use of the directory is at the discretion of the individual. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. Stay safe. It is best to play gospel or Christian radio in your house 24/7 to make them move on. 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. Then they could celebrate their wedding reception at a Southern manor and have a hell of a good time. If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know! Protest movements that perceive victimization and microaggression under every rock also wreak havoc on our countrys economy. 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. Belle Mont Mansion - Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area Belle Mont was built for Alexander Williams Mitchell, who grew up in Louisa County, Virginia, only 25 miles from Jefferson's home at Monticello. Over the years, this historic mansion has been restored to its original pre-Civil War appearance. Mr. Winston was a cousin of Dolly Madison, Patrick Henry, and Isaac Cole, who was a personal friend and secretary of President Thomas Jefferson. It was one of those drizzly unpleasant days, so after a while I went into the Cellar area of the plantation. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few . Before you visit ANY local real haunt, make sure to acquire the appropriate permits and/or permissions, and be respectful of privately owned properties. 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. You can visit the historic Belle Mont Mansion at 1569 Cook Ln., Tuscumbia, Alabama 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. Art of the Dish at the Historic Belle Mont Mansion | Gallery Because of the tragedies that transpired therin, they powerfully communicate how far America has come. 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. 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. Constructed in the 1820s, Belle Mont fell into ruin until the Alabama Historical Commission rescued it in the 1980s. 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. Doors open and close. e prior to the Civil War. Related Videos Video #1 Now, thats poetic justice. Voice your opinion here! 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. Belle Mont Mansion (Tuscumbia) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. Nearby, an early 1800s mansion, Belle Mont, is available for touring. That seems far more justified than puritannical policing of plantations. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. Slave child's doll inside Belle Mont Mansion. The Winston family maintained ownership and continued living in Belle Mont through the Civil War and until around 1940. Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. Her aunt, who was only a few years older than her, got busted sneaking in/vandalizing the mansion. 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 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. In 1833, the property was bought by Issac Williams, who owned 119 enslaved people by 1855. 3. Plantation Agriculture | Encyclopedia of Alabama A tour of this Nashville plantation tells the story .