Belle Mont also illustrates Jeffersons reverence for the neoclassical architectural elements and ideas of the Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio,. Slavery at Belmont - old page | belmontmansion This would have been in the late 60s, early 70s I would guess. 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. 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. 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. I know someone who used to volunteer at Belle Mont, which is open for tours, and she said the house was definitely haunted by a woman, possibility a former mistress or daughter who once lived in the house. Belle Mont is available for special events. Belle Mont attracts approximately 5,000 visitors each year. Her aunt, who was only a few years older than her, got busted sneaking in/vandalizing the mansion. 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. You can imagine me trying to picture my great aunt doing this, haha! 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. It's estimated that 40 percent of slave owners may have been white women. Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few . The house and surrounding property are reportedly haunted by the former slaves that lived and died on the plantation. Isaac Winston owned 114 slaves according to the 1860 census and died August 13, 1863 at Bell Mont during the American Civil War. I dont know any ghost stories but my mother tells a few funny stories. The antebellum plantation experience, as lived by the enslaved, was neither happy nor joyous. Its just really weird that we both saw this happen at the exact same time. Happy haunting! Many "ghost hunters" have been arrested because they failed to contact property owners and/or local authorities ahead of time. 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. 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.
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