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. 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. This mansion is believed to have been influenced by Palladian style architecture for which Thomas Jefferson is known. Over the years, this historic mansion has been restored to its original pre-Civil War appearance. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and receive Halloween event updates, discounts and more! 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. Indeed, it was brutal and terrifying. However, the staff continues to research as we endeavor to tell the stories of all who lived at Belmont. 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. My daughter and I have both heard clear voices that sound kind of far away, but you can understand them. 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674 View Map CONTACT Site Director: Ninon Parker Museum: 256- 381-5052 Email: bellemontmansion@gmail.com Ken is a graphic designer, web developer and co-founder of One True Paranormal, a para-group in southwest Missouri. The tell when I was growing up was that the book 13 Alabama Ghosts held a tell from that house. The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Chronological snobbery, as C.S. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. 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. Marble bust of Helen Keller. And in the process, these attacks have unintended economic consequences on working-class Americans. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. 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. Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation, Inc. is the support group in charge of operating the site. Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. Although the original architect and builder remain unknown, the style of Belle Mont appears also to have been influenced by past. 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 was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. 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. I was born and raised in Tuscumbia. Her eyes, big as saucers, alarm me. Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. All rights reserved. Tell Us About Your Experience(s) at Belle Mont. Visitors to this page: 3,182 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. But fewer probably know that it . "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.'". 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. According to the letter, Christmas was a disturbing time for the enslaved. Yes, its true that some historical artifacts across Americas landscape are honored in ways that belittle or demean our fellow countrymen. The other residents seem to tolerate it OK, but I hate it. 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. 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. 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? Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! 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? The letter was also sent to Ninon Parker, who is listed as a site director for the Belle Mont Mansion. 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. What county in Alabama had the most slaves? The answer will always be a mystery. 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. 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. Four bedrooms surround the rear or south courtyard, forming its U-shaped brick exterior. 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. 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. 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. My wife, son (age 5) and I were heading from Muscle Shoals to our home in Littleville after a night of shopping and eating. In 1833, the property was bought by Issac Williams, who owned 119 enslaved people by 1855. General Martin retired to his Belle Mont plantation at Leatherwood, which he purchased in 1796 from Benjamin Harrison V of Berkeley Plantation. Sold by the Acklen family in 1887, the house went to a developer who began one of Nashvilles early suburbs. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 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 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. 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. And have seen shadows and once a figure of a person. It has a staff of three: a site director, curator, and tour guide. 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). A majority of rooms in Belmont Mansion have been meticulously restored. It was built in 1940 on some of the land near General John Coffees home. At Belmont, several extended families lived in slavery over the course of several generations. belle mont mansion slaves July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022. Do not use all capital letters. 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. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Would like to know if anyone does know anything about it and any info in accordance with that reference. ?????? It also reflects the vulnerability of American businesses to the whims of leftist protest movements. A tour of this Nashville plantation tells the story . One account is from young William Acklin, a enslaved worker, and the other from a visitor to the estate. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. 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. 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 Knot, WeddingWire, and Pinterest are seeking to limit content on their websites that promotes Southern plantations as a wedding venue. In 1790, John Hipkins purchased the property from the Conway family and in 1791 built Belle Grove for his only child, Fannie. Strange are there actually any African Americans who have memories of the antebellum period, given that it ended 160 years ago? As of Thursday morning, Alabama Historical Commission members have not responded to the letter or AL.coms emails and phone calls. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. Let us know! 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. What do you think? Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? This style stems from the neoclassical architectural design of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. 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. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. She said he would come out shooting if he caught trespassers. It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. 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. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. Belle Mont Mansion has been listed under several names through its history. 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! Some visitors say that the building . 2019 was the year it finally became socially unacceptable to use a historic plantation as a wedding venue. 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. For more information, click here. Indeed, it is the Christian character of America that has allowed us to recognize and seek to rectify our past errors. "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. Its just really weird that we both saw this happen at the exact same time. The groups who are critiquing the event in Tuscumbia believe historical sites must be honest and respectful. The site originally served as the centerpiece for the large scale cotton. Because of the tragedies that transpired therin, they powerfully communicate how far America has come. In addition, volunteers from the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation assist as docents for special events and participate in fund-raising activities. 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. The Alabama Historical Commission owns this historic site. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. Your email address will not be published. Very little historic data, including census records, include last names of those who were enslaved, making it challenging to locate descendents through geneaology records. Indeed, I wonder how many black Americans even have a deceased grandparent who could have had a memory of antebellum America. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell. My Dad bought it at that time. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands. Earlier this month, prodded by the group Color of Change, four wedding websites said they . The abandonment of the home was the largest cause of its deterioration and the vandalism that occurred at Belle Mont. Constructed in the 1820s, Belle Mont fell into ruin until the Alabama Historical Commission rescued it in the 1980s. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,. The antebellum plantation experience, as lived by the enslaved, was neither happy nor joyous. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few . In. He says, the man that lives in that house. still pointing. I have heard quiet voices in the night. 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. You feel things passing by you. 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). 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. The Winston family maintained ownership and continued living in Belle Mont through the Civil War and until around 1940. You can visit the historic Belle Mont Mansion at 1569 Cook Ln., Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674. Things seem to be at their worst after midnight, until early dawn. Nearby, an early 1800s mansion, Belle Mont, is available for touring. Belle Mont was built for Alexander Williams Mitchell, who grew up in Louisa County, Virginia, only 25 miles from Jefferson's home at Monticello. If you have lived in a haunted house you will not find this fun. 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. The home was built. At the time, the name of the plantation was not Gay Mont, but Rose Hill. LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Shoals, Shoals Young Democrats and Rev. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio," (Commission 2). Your CommentsHave a photograph taken from this location? Belle Mont is available for special events. No haunted tours for me. Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! 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. 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. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? The organization behind this growing movement, Color of Change, indicts vendors for using words like breathtaking to describe plantations. If such locales have tragic histories, this is all the more reason to reimagine them in ways that both recognize and overcome that past. 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. The schooner Clotilda smuggled African captives into the U.S. in 1860, more than 50 years after importing slaves was outlawed. 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. 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 property is also available for tours Thursday through Sunday and for special event rentals. Gradually, the family gatherings became less frequent until the home was completely abandoned. Belle Mont attracts approximately 5,000 visitors each year. Wesley Thompson of Bethel Colbert Missionary Baptists Church also signed the letter. 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. Doors open and close. 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). 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. 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? The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. Open Letter Plantation Christmas by Jonece on Scribd. 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. He has a bachelors in history and masters in teaching from the University of Virginia and a masters in theology from Christendom College. It is best to play gospel or Christian radio in your house 24/7 to make them move on. It was one of those drizzly unpleasant days, so after a while I went into the Cellar area of the plantation. 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. Unlock premium content, ad-free browsing, and access to comments for just $4/month. Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. We have located just two first-hand accounts of slavery at Belmont. Owned by the Alabama Historical Commission and operated by the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation. 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 is a historic house museum open for guided tours. I have experienced some very strange things in my home. Casey Chalk is a senior contributor at The Federalist and an editor and columnist at The New Oxford Review. Lewis called our tendency to view our own age as superior to others, is a dark chasm ending in our own destruction. Use the "Browse" or "Choose File" button below to select an image to upload along with your comment. 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. 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. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. What Todays Cultural Marxists Would Be Wise To Learn From Martin Luther King Jr. Even though it is now just 24 acres, many of the important elements remain. 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. Following the death of his wife Alexander Mitchell remarried and sold the plantation to Isaac and Catherine Winston and moved to Philadelphia in 1833. While slavery is often associated with large plantations, the institution permeated Southern culture. 3. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? 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. Belle Mont Mansion is located outside of Tuscumbia. 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. 68 were here. Belle Mont, built between 1828 and 1832, was a plantation that used slave labor. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. Voice your opinion here! The designer is unknown but seems to have been influenced by Thomas Jefferson's ideas and style. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. Then you maybe talk to family members and realize everyone feels the same way. I asked, Do you see him now? in a jested way as I awkwardly half-smile to my wife. Ninon Parker puts candles out on the table fully set for dinner at Belle Mont Mansion in Colbert County. Her aunt, who was only a few years older than her, got busted sneaking in/vandalizing the mansion. 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.However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property.