The celebration of a Plantation Christmas is racist, the letter reads. Montvale, the farm at Belmont, was destroyed in 1864. According to the Times Daily, the event, which has been a holiday tradition in the Muscle Shoals area for over 30 years, offered vintage ballroom dancing, food and tour guides dressed in Antebellum garb. What do you think? Their appetites will not be satisfied until all things and persons associated with injustice, real or imagined, are expunged from public experience and memory. After finding lesson plans asking Alabama fourth-graders to write their own slave narratives, experts talk about the hardships of teaching slavery on an elementary school level. All rights reserved (About Us). Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few . While slavery is often associated with large plantations, the institution permeated Southern culture. The National Paranormal Society is not responsible for individuals, teams and submissions listed on the NPS website. Advertised as an event where people can experience the "hospitality of the Old South", "A Plantation Christmas" was held at the Belle Mont Mansion on Sunday evening. 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. Please contact nps.submissions@gmail.com for more information. The Massive, Overlooked Role of Female Slave Owners Belle Mont Mansion | Haunted Places | Tuscumbia, AL 35674 But she never mentioned any slave ghosts. Would like to know if anyone does know anything about it and any info in accordance with that reference. However, while living in Belle Mont and planting the surrounding acres, Dr. Mitchell housed 152 slaves in 13 slave cabins on the property. 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. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few Palladian-style houses in the Deep South. It is said to be haunted by slaves who died on the grounds and also by former owners. 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 coalition said the event celebrated white supremacy by ignoring the enslaved people who labored at the cotton plantation. Three years later, during the middle of the. 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. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont 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. 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. I have experienced some very strange things in my home. Visitors to this page: 3,182 Things seem to be at their worst after midnight, until early dawn. 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. Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. I grew up in Florence and my Great Grandmother lived near the mansion on Colbert Heights mountain. General Martin retired to his Belle Mont plantation at Leatherwood, which he purchased in 1796 from Benjamin Harrison V of Berkeley Plantation. The source of Belle Monts design is shrouded in mystery, but tantalizing clues suggest the direct influence of President Thomas Jefferson, gentlemen architect of the early Republic, the official Belle Mont pamphlet states (Commission 2). The letter was also sent to Ninon Parker, who is listed as a site director for the Belle Mont Mansion. Be specific. First, there is no such thing as a slave plantation. There are cotton plantations, sugar plantations, tobacco plantations, etc., etc., but no slave plantations. Please report any inaccuracies. "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. What Todays Cultural Marxists Would Be Wise To Learn From Martin Luther King Jr. 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 answer will always be a mystery. Gradually, the family gatherings became less frequent until the home was completely abandoned. 2008-2023 AlabamaHauntedHouses.com. Protest movements that perceive victimization and microaggression under every rock also wreak havoc on our countrys economy. The letter was signed by social justice groups Project Say Something, Standing in Power, of Decatur, and Beyond the Women's March. Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! Its also not as if Dixie estates were the only sites where acts of brutality were committed by one group of Americans against another. Belle Mont was built for Alexander Williams Mitchell, who grew up in Louisa County, Virginia, only 25 miles from Jefferson's home at Monticello. 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? Belle Mont Mansion is located outside of Tuscumbia. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. You can visit the historic Belle Mont Mansion at 1569 Cook Ln., Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674. However, the staff continues to research as we endeavor to tell the stories of all who lived at Belmont. The property is also available for tours Thursday through Sunday and for special event rentals. Shes told me that prior to the restorations the mansion was a prime site for local teens to be dumb kids trespass, vandalize, etc. The designer is unknown but seems to have been influenced by Thomas Jefferson's ideas and style. 2023 The Federalist, A wholly independent division of FDRLST Media. We went back there, and I finished the project, with help from all was involved. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,The Winston family maintained ownership and continued living in Belle Mont through the Civil War and until around 1940. Countless Haunt Hunters have been arrested, ticketed, and reprimanded by the authorities for trespassing. View all AHC Owned Historic Houses & Museums. The Miracle Worker organ. 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. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! 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. Group rates available. Stories of the Past - Conversations for the Future. 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. It has a staff of three: a site director, curator, and tour guide. For some reason a lot of places in Tuscumbia AL are haunted. Plantation Christmas at Belle Mont is held annually the first Sunday in December and features period costumed interpreters, decorations, refreshments, and entertainment. Ken is a graphic designer, web developer and co-founder of One True Paranormal, a para-group in southwest Missouri. 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. 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. In each society and in each generation slaves adjusted and . Have a haunt/halloween related news story or a tip? I have heard quiet voices in the night. Belle Mont Mansion , built circa 1828, is one of the few examples of Palladian-style houses in Alabama. 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. complete with original and period furniture, artwork and statuary. Tickets may also be purchased by credit card by calling the museum at 256-381-5052 or online . The best-known ghost tale from each Alabama county - al.com Happy haunting! I asked, Do you see him now? in a jested way as I awkwardly half-smile to my wife. Belle Mont Mansion | Tuscumbia AL - Facebook List of plantations in Virginia - Wikipedia 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. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? 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. 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. My wife, son (age 5) and I were heading from Muscle Shoals to our home in Littleville after a night of shopping and eating. n 1832. 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. Contact the museum for current rates, policies, and an application. Belle mont mansion slaves - nxggc.soterik.de The other residents seem to tolerate it OK, but I hate it. 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. 68 were here. BG Joseph Lynch Martin Jr. (1740-1808) - Find a Grave Memorial As of Thursday morning, Alabama Historical Commission members have not responded to the letter or AL.coms emails and phone calls. The Knot, WeddingWire, and Pinterest are seeking to limit content on their websites that promotes Southern plantations as a wedding venue. Come to Belle Mont to learn more about Palladian architecture and to see first-hand the tantalizing clues suggesting the direct influence of Thomas Jefferson himself. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? Weddings should be a symbol of love and unity. 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). Its important the reality of what happened in these spaces is present, versus a romanticization of human rights abuses.. It was the centerpiece of a 1,760 acre cotton plantation and had one of the largest slave populations in the state. It was then purchased by two women who in 1890 started a college which evolved into Belmont University. 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. 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. "It is unacceptable to subject the descendants of enslaved African Americans to whitewashed versions of history that ignore their ancestors experience.". 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? Located in the heart of Nashville on the Belmont University Campus. 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. Administrative use only. Slavery at Belmont - old page | belmontmansion At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. 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. Its just really weird that we both saw this happen at the exact same time. Gift Shop (111 S. Main St., Tuscumbia). Disclaimer: Alabama Haunted Houses does not endorse or support trespassing to visit real haunts. This mansion is believed to have been influenced by Palladian style architecture for which Thomas Jefferson is known. 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. I was born and raised in Tuscumbia. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The Alabama Historical Commission owns this historic site. All information on this page was submitted to Alabama Haunted Houses and was believed to be accurate at the time it was posted. Ninon Parker puts candles out on the table fully set for dinner at Belle Mont Mansion in Colbert County. Admission: Adults $6; students, seniors, military $5; and children 6-18 $3. The site is 1/4 mile west of US 43 South on Cook Lane, three miles south of intersection US 43 and US 72. Before you visit ANY local real haunt, make sure to acquire the appropriate permits and/or permissions, and be respectful of privately owned properties. And in the process, these attacks have unintended economic consequences on working-class Americans. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. And have seen shadows and once a figure of a person. At first you think this is all in your imagination. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Even though it is now just 24 acres, many of the important elements remain. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. If People Can't Get Married On Plantations, They Can't Marry Anywhere The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville TN: Horses, History, Wine Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! The organization behind this growing movement, Color of Change, indicts vendors for using words like breathtaking to describe plantations. The Conway family purchased the property in 1670 and it remained in the family for 120 years. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. Chronological snobbery, as C.S. 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. 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. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. 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. The tell when I was growing up was that the book 13 Alabama Ghosts held a tell from that house. Belle Mont Mansion (Tuscumbia) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go Strange are there actually any African Americans who have memories of the antebellum period, given that it ended 160 years ago? Belle Mont Mansion is a historic house museum open for guided tours. 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. 2019 was the year it finally became socially unacceptable to use a historic plantation as a wedding venue. This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. Unlock premium content, ad-free browsing, and access to comments for just $4/month. Belle mont mansion slaves - yjgp.hendrik-aus-e.de 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. The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. 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 This is not a good thing. In addition, volunteers from the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation assist as docents for special events and participate in fund-raising activities. 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. Belle Mont Mansion has been listed under several names through its history. Mr. Winston was a cousin of Dolly Madison, Patrick Henry, and Isaac Cole, who was a personal friend and secretary of President Thomas Jefferson. === A monument was errected in 2008 on the old Henry Courthouse square in Martinsville, VA. . Be happy. Plantation Home Tours in Alabama | Getaway USA - The Arizona Republic 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. 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! 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. Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont. No profanity. Belle Mont is available for special events. Blue Star Museum: Belle Mont proudly offers free admission to active duty military personnel and their families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. 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. Being new to the area, none of us knew of the Belmont Mansion or its location. Plantations used for bourgeois ceremonies with language that obscures or even glorifies the estates dark past are one example. 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. It once stretched over 5400 acres and hosted celebrities, presidents, and countless southern gentlemen. 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. Located in the middle of the Belmont University campusbehind Freeman Hall. Belle Mont Mansion | Encyclopedia of Alabama Some visitors say that the building . 3. 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). 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. Welcome to mystery411 Haunted Belle Mont Tuscumbia page. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! One account is from young William Acklin, a enslaved worker, and the other from a visitor to the estate. William F. Buckleys popularization of Eric Voegelins warning is apt: Dont immanentize the eschaton!. You feel things passing by you. 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. 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.