Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio," (Commission 2). 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. 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. Plantation Christmas at Belle Mont is held annually the first Sunday in December and features period costumed interpreters, decorations, refreshments, and entertainment. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few Palladian-style houses in the Deep South. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. If such locales have tragic histories, this is all the more reason to reimagine them in ways that both recognize and overcome that past. One was a bluish light, the other one looked golden. He says, the man that lives in that house. still pointing. 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. View all AHC Owned Historic Houses & Museums. 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. 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. Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. Belle Mont Mansion has resumed normal operating hours and will be operating at reduced capacity to safeguard against COVID-19. The Belle Mont Mansion was constructed from 1828-1832. I got chills then tried to write it off. LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Shoals, Shoals Young Democrats and Rev. 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. The Conway family purchased the property in 1670 and it remained in the family for 120 years. Click "thumbs up" if you think its haunted, or "thumbs down" if you think its all just a tall tale. Would like to know if anyone does know anything about it and any info in accordance with that reference. Jones says her new title is one she holds . Being new to the area, none of us knew of the Belmont Mansion or its location. This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. Just one if many weird, cant explain it things that have happened here. 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. Your email address will not be published. Her aunt, who was only a few years older than her, got busted sneaking in/vandalizing the mansion. At the time, the name of the plantation was not Gay Mont, but Rose Hill. Ninon Parker puts candles out on the table fully set for dinner at Belle Mont Mansion in Colbert County. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands. Required fields are marked *. Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. 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. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? For more information, click here. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. "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. Haunted Vacations, Adventures and Mysteries. 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. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. 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. No profanity. It was one of those drizzly unpleasant days, so after a while I went into the Cellar area of the plantation. 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. Belle Mont was built for Alexander Williams Mitchell, who grew up in Louisa County, Virginia, only 25 miles from Jefferson's home at Monticello. One account is from young William Acklin, a enslaved worker, and the other from a visitor to the estate. The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. In addition, volunteers from the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation assist as docents for special events and participate in fund-raising activities. It was the centerpiece of a 1,760 acre cotton plantation and had one of the largest slave populations in the state. 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. 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." Doors open and close. 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. This is not to say there isnt something a bit discomforting about vendors labeling slave cabins on these properties as evoking an elaborate past, as if blacks were happy, willing participants in a fanciful world of white gentry as portrayed in Gone with the Wind. All the same, targeting Southern wedding venues for bigotry reflects yet another manifestation of a purification of our culture and history. Belle Mont's out-buildings are no longer standing, but several foundations, including that of a slave house, have been located by archeologists. 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). Blanket from Belle Mont Mansion. Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. Clicks to Website: 293 Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? Please report any inaccuracies. The architecture of Belmont Mansion makes it one of the most significant homes of 19th century Tennessee. belle mont mansion slaves July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022. Although the original architect and builder remain unknown, the style of Belle Mont appears also to have been influenced by past. It also reflects the vulnerability of American businesses to the whims of leftist protest movements. The other residents seem to tolerate it OK, but I hate it. Most Americans know that George Washington owned enslaved people at his Mount Vernon home. According to census records, Mitchell enslaved 115 people at the cotton plantation. An Alabama Historical Commission site, Belle Mont was built 1828-1832 and is one of the state's first great plantation houses. 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. It once stretched over 5400 acres and hosted celebrities, presidents, and countless southern gentlemen. Blue Star Museum: Belle Mont proudly offers free admission to active duty military personnel and their families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. 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. A variety of factors have made researching the lives of Belmont's enslaved residents difficult. Open Letter Plantation Christmas by Jonece on Scribd. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. Visitors to the mansion have reported seeing dark shadowy figures walking the fields and have heard the sound of chains rattling near the house. The Alabama Historical Commission owns this historic site. The historic home is the site of the annual Art of the Dish this week. n 1832. Catholics in the 19th century suffered violent assaults at the hands of anti-papist mobs on the streets of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. The answer will always be a mystery. Plantations used for bourgeois ceremonies with language that obscures or even glorifies the estates dark past are one example. Many of them, even their detractors must admit, are beautiful, both in reference to their natural surroundings and their architecture. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! Group rates available. 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. 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. 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. Last edit to this listing: 1/16/2016 (2604 days ago). Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont, Discover the largest house built in Tennesse. Positioned on a commanding hilltop, Belle Mont Mansion is one of Alabama's crowning architectural achievements. Is it possible that Dr. Mitchell built Belle Mont in this style, two years after Jeffersons death, to honor the late president? I was born and raised in Tuscumbia. Belle Mont Mansion , built circa 1828, is one of the few examples of Palladian-style houses in Alabama. The only way to avoid offending anyone would be to stop celebrating anything, anywhere, at any time. In each society and in each generation slaves adjusted and . The first slaves arrived to Belle Meade in 1807, and as decades rolled on, the number of slaves tripled to 136 of by 1860 based on the 1860 census record. It is said to be haunted by slaves who died on the grounds and also by former owners. 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? 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. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. Belle Mont Mansion is being restored and partially furnished to reflect the antebellum, or pre-Civil War, time period. The Miracle Worker organ. 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. 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. 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). We went back there, and I finished the project, with help from all was involved. 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. 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. My great great great great grandfather used to live at the belle mont mansion ! 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. We also dont need to police their repurposing. Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation, Inc. is the support group in charge of operating the site. The house is listed on the National Historic Registry (#19820223). Over the years, this historic mansion has been restored to its original pre-Civil War appearance. Constructed in the 1820s, Belle Mont fell into ruin until the Alabama Historical Commission rescued it in the 1980s. I grew up in Florence and my Great Grandmother lived near the mansion on Colbert Heights mountain. Marble bust of Helen Keller. The letter was also sent to Ninon Parker, who is listed as a site director for the Belle Mont Mansion. Located in the middle of the Belmont University campusbehind Freeman Hall. Belle Mont is located south of Tuscumbia in Colbert Couty in northwest Alabama. The abandonment of the home was the largest cause of its deterioration and the vandalism that occurred at Belle Mont. As there is not formal cemetery for the slaves it is likely that they were buried on some part of the estate. Share Your Experience or Comments - Belle Mont. 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. It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. Your CommentsHave a photograph taken from this location? Join now to unlock comments, browse ad-free, and access exclusive content from your favorite FDRLST writers. 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. Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,. Wesley Thompson of Bethel Colbert Missionary Baptists Church also signed the letter. This style stems from the neoclassical architectural design of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Peace to everyone. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. 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. Gift Shop (111 S. Main St., Tuscumbia). 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. 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. You feel things passing by you. Violence against blacks and other disenfranchised groups have occurred across our nations landscape, many in popular and well-trod locales, North and South, East and West. For some reason a lot of places in Tuscumbia AL are haunted. At this time, the family decided to move to a different location but continued to hold Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the mansion. I mention this because Gay Mont was his home. It remained in the Winston family for over a century, and is currently used as a historic house museum open for tours by appointment. Moreover, the entire. Chronological snobbery, as C.S. Contact the museum for current rates, policies, and an application. And have seen shadows and once a figure of a person. Visitors to this page: 3,182 Lewis called our tendency to view our own age as superior to others, is a dark chasm ending in our own destruction. If you've had a paranormal experience here, or have any additional information about this location, please let us know! 68 were here. Belle Mont isnt included in either of Kathryn Tucker Windhams books about Alabama ghosts. The Winston family maintained ownership and continued living in Belle Mont through the Civil War and until around 1940. 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? An example of this occurred in December, when a number of black medical students posed for a photo at a former slave plantation, a site some of them called holy. Heck, why not celebrate their graduation there? Belle Meade plantation is one of the premier plantations in Tennessee and one of the top attractions in the state. 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. complete with original and period furniture, artwork and statuary. What Todays Cultural Marxists Would Be Wise To Learn From Martin Luther King Jr. The Belle Mont Mansion in Tuscumbia Alabama was built around 1828 for physician and planter Alexander Williams Mitchell. Slaves in the plantation generations were members of what Berlin calls "slave societies," where slavery was the primary source of labor. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Dr. Mitchell and his family of seven were already living in Belle Mont when it was fully completed in 1832. The use of the NPS name for any unauthorized events or activities is strictly prohibited. The answer will always be a mystery. These families included the Baker and Snowden families, among others. Moreover, the entire country was once the land of American Indians, and a good deal of it deceptively or violently taken from them. Couple looking at a car in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. A majority of rooms in Belmont Mansion have been meticulously restored. Intimate and elegant elopement ceremonies are popular at Belmont Mansion! And in the process, these attacks have unintended economic consequences on working-class Americans. 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. Administrative use only. Their appetites will not be satisfied until all things and persons associated with injustice, real or imagined, are expunged from public experience and memory. Belle Mont Mansion | Tuscumbia AL 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. The Knot, WeddingWire, and Pinterest are seeking to limit content on their websites that promotes Southern plantations as a wedding venue. She said he would come out shooting if he caught trespassers. Be happy. Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of time. 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. 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. 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. The site originally served as the centerpiece for the large scale cotton. 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. Four bedrooms surround the rear or south courtyard, forming its U-shaped brick exterior. 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. 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. Belle Mont was erected in 1828 for a physician from Louisa County, Virginia, Dr. Alexander Williams Mitchell.