belle mont mansion slaves

At the time, the name of the plantation was not Gay Mont, but Rose Hill. Indeed, I wonder how many black Americans even have a deceased grandparent who could have had a memory of antebellum America. 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. I remember her sounding really flippant about it and me wondering how being shot at was not a big deal! 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. 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. Strange are there actually any African Americans who have memories of the antebellum period, given that it ended 160 years ago? It is best to play gospel or Christian radio in your house 24/7 to make them move on. 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. I was amazed at the huge floor joist under the house, then I had that feeling someone had walked up behind me, I thought it was Ronnie, at that time I noticed some graffiti that had been put there, and asked Ronnie what he thought about, but when I turned around, Iwas there by myself. 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. In each society and in each generation slaves adjusted and . Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. In addition, volunteers from the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation assist as docents for special events and participate in fund-raising activities. Records of the property's destruction includes information related to the number of slave dwellings on the property. Belle Meade plantation is one of the premier plantations in Tennessee and one of the top attractions in the state. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. These families included the Baker and Snowden families, among others. Its also not as if Dixie estates were the only sites where acts of brutality were committed by one group of Americans against another. This design is derived from the neoclassical architectural style of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The Alabama Historical Commission owns this historic site. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. Clicks to Website: 293 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. The underlying premise of the anti-plantation movement is that Southern plantations cannot be romanticized. Ken is a graphic designer, web developer and co-founder of One True Paranormal, a para-group in southwest Missouri. The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. The answer will always be a mystery. The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. I asked, Do you see him now? in a jested way as I awkwardly half-smile to my wife. However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674 View Map CONTACT Site Director: Ninon Parker Museum: 256- 381-5052 Email: bellemontmansion@gmail.com Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio," (Commission 2). 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. The answer will always be a mystery. Happy haunting! We also dont need to police their repurposing. Off Campus Book Store University of North Alabama, Norton Auditorium University of North Alabama. This mansion is believed to have been influenced by Palladian style architecture for which Thomas Jefferson is known. Protest movements that perceive victimization and microaggression under every rock also wreak havoc on our countrys economy. It is said to be haunted by slaves who died on the grounds and also by former owners. Gradually, the family gatherings became less frequent until the home was completely abandoned. Went back into the cellar a coupple more times, but never had that akward feeling again. 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 property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. 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. What do you think? My wife and I went to the mansion and learned of its peculiarities from the informative guide person. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? It was the centerpiece of a 1,760 acre cotton plantation and had one of the largest slave populations in the state. e prior to the Civil War. Admission: Adults $6; students, seniors, military $5; and children 6-18 $3. General Martin retired to his Belle Mont plantation at Leatherwood, which he purchased in 1796 from Benjamin Harrison V of Berkeley Plantation. One account is from young William Acklin, a enslaved worker, and the other from a visitor to the estate. 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 attracts approximately 5,000 visitors each year. 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. You can visit the historic Belle Mont Mansion at 1569 Cook Ln., Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674. At Belmont, several extended families lived in slavery over the course of several generations. Its important the reality of what happened in these spaces is present, versus a romanticization of human rights abuses.. The other residents seem to tolerate it OK, but I hate it. And in the process, these attacks have unintended economic consequences on working-class Americans. What county in Alabama had the most slaves? "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.'". First, there is no such thing as a slave plantation. There are cotton plantations, sugar plantations, tobacco plantations, etc., etc., but no slave plantations. I mention this because Gay Mont was his home. Constructed in the 1820s, Belle Mont fell into ruin until the Alabama Historical Commission rescued it in the 1980s. For some reason a lot of places in Tuscumbia AL are haunted. In 1790, John Hipkins purchased the property from the Conway family and in 1791 built Belle Grove for his only child, Fannie. Will NOT be displayed. According to the letter, Christmas was a disturbing time for the enslaved. What Todays Cultural Marxists Would Be Wise To Learn From Martin Luther King Jr. 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 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? 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. Even though it is now just 24 acres, many of the important elements remain. 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). Nanyehi was among the first Cherokee to own African-American slaves. 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. 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. 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. "It is unacceptable to subject the descendants of enslaved African Americans to whitewashed versions of history that ignore their ancestors experience.". Is it not appropriate to celebrate momentous occasions in beautiful places? The tell when I was growing up was that the book 13 Alabama Ghosts held a tell from that house. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. Belle Mont Mansion is being restored and partially furnished to reflect the antebellum, or pre-Civil War, time period. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. ?????? 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. If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know! 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. 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. 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. An Alabama Historical Commission site, Belle Mont was built 1828-1832 and is one of the state's first great plantation houses. Multiple north Alabama organizations are demanding an apology after a Christmas event was held at a Colbert County plantation mansion where enslaved people once labored. 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. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. My great great great great grandfather used to live at the belle mont mansion ! He says, the man that lives in that house. still pointing. 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. I have lived here since 1963. Located in the heart of Nashville on the Belmont University Campus. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. You can imagine me trying to picture my great aunt doing this, haha! It was built in 1940 on some of the land near General John Coffees home. The Knot, WeddingWire, and Pinterest are seeking to limit content on their websites that promotes Southern plantations as a wedding venue. Be happy. Is this place really haunted? But fewer probably know that it . HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. Not sure if it did or not but sure does fit. I came out of the cellar and saw Ronnie sitting in my truck, so I asked if he had came into the cellar, he told me no. Tell Us About Your Experience(s) at Belle Mont. Moreover, the entire country was once the land of American Indians, and a good deal of it deceptively or violently taken from them. 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. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. 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. At first you think this is all in your imagination. Plantations used for bourgeois ceremonies with language that obscures or even glorifies the estates dark past are one example. 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." I grew up in Florence and my Great Grandmother lived near the mansion on Colbert Heights mountain. The Conway family purchased the property in 1670 and it remained in the family for 120 years. Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. 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. It's estimated that 40 percent of slave owners may have been white women. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. Located in the middle of the Belmont University campusbehind Freeman Hall. 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. It was the centerpiece of a 1,760 acre cotton plantation and had one of the largest slave populations in the state. Tickets may also be purchased by credit card by calling the museum at 256-381-5052 or online . Before you visit ANY local real haunt, make sure to acquire the appropriate permits and/or permissions, and be respectful of privately owned properties. 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. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. As of Thursday morning, Alabama Historical Commission members have not responded to the letter or AL.coms emails and phone calls. Unlock premium content, ad-free browsing, and access to comments for just $4/month. 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. 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. Just one if many weird, cant explain it things that have happened here. 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? Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. Administrative use only. Be specific. Blue Star Museum: Belle Mont proudly offers free admission to active duty military personnel and their families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few . No haunted tours for me. Please contact nps.submissions@gmail.com for more information. 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. Many of them, even their detractors must admit, are beautiful, both in reference to their natural surroundings and their architecture. Most Americans know that George Washington owned enslaved people at his Mount Vernon home. Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. 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. Positioned on a commanding hilltop, Belle Mont Mansion is one of Alabama's crowning architectural achievements. One was a bluish light, the other one looked golden. 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. Indeed, it was brutal and terrifying. Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! Weddings should be a symbol of love and unity. 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. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. Ninon Parker puts candles out on the table fully set for dinner at Belle Mont Mansion in Colbert County. This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. For more information, click here. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. 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. The groups who are critiquing the event in Tuscumbia believe historical sites must be honest and respectful. Because of the tragedies that transpired therin, they powerfully communicate how far America has come. It's currently operated as a museum, and tours are available. 3. Her eyes, big as saucers, alarm me. The letter was also sent to Ninon Parker, who is listed as a site director for the Belle Mont Mansion. Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. 2008-2023 AlabamaHauntedHouses.com. 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. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. 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 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. Indeed, it is the Christian character of America that has allowed us to recognize and seek to rectify our past errors. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Belle Mont Mansion is a historic house museum open for guided tours. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Casey Chalk is a senior contributor at The Federalist and an editor and columnist at The New Oxford Review. 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. The Miracle Worker organ. This is not a good thing. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. Let us know! Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other local regulations. 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). Group of women standing outside Belle Mont Mansion. Contact the museum for current rates, policies, and an application. Jonece Starr Dunigan | jdunigan@reckonmedia.com, hired a black historian to research the site's enslavement history, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 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. Visitors to this page: 3,182 Belle Mont Mansion, known for its architecture, was built in 1828 for Alexander Williams Mitchell. 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. Not-So-Scary Haunted Houses (Kid Friendly). 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. All rights reserved. . The schooner Clotilda smuggled African captives into the U.S. in 1860, more than 50 years after importing slaves was outlawed. The property is located just south of Tuscumbia and west of US Route 43 at 1569 Cook Lane. 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. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. Owned by the Alabama Historical Commission and operated by the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation. 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. 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. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands. Discover the largest house built in Tennessee prior to the Civil War. The Belle Mont Mansion was constructed from 1828-1832. Related Videos Video #1 Gift Shop (111 S. Main St., Tuscumbia). The property is also available for tours Thursday through Sunday and for special event rentals. Belle Mont Mansion , built circa 1828, is one of the few examples of Palladian-style houses in Alabama. 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 celebration of a Plantation Christmas is racist, the letter reads. The National Paranormal Society is not responsible for individuals, teams and submissions listed on the NPS website. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists.

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