Belle Meade Plantation
Encyclopedia
Belle Meade Plantation, located in Belle Meade, Tennessee
, is an historic plantation
mansion
whose grounds now function as a museum.
n John Harding bought Dunham's Station log cabin and 250 acres (101.2 ha) on the Natchez Trace
. In the early years, Harding boarded horses for neighbors such as Andrew Jackson
, and he was breeding thoroughbred
s by 1816. He shipped grain to Charleston
and New Orleans, and owned large tracts of land in Arkansas
and Louisiana
. In 1820, he started to bulild the beautiful mansion in a Greek style. It originally had four rooms.
In 1853, the mansion was built by General William Giles Harding
, son of the founder. During this time, the Harding family prospered, building their domain into a 5400 acres (22 km²) plantation that was renowned throughout the world for breeding champion Thoroughbred horses.
The American Civil War
brought deprivation and danger to Belle Meade. During the Battle of Nashville
, Union
and Confederate
forces skirmished in the front yard, and the mansion's massive stone columns were riddled with bullets. Evidence of the violence is still visible today.
During and after Reconstruction, Belle Meade's reputation as a first-class breeding establishment attracted buyers from around the world for the annual yearling sales. Under the management of Hardin's sons-in-law, brothers William Hicks Jackson
and Howell Edmunds Jackson
, Belle Meade Stud flourished. Following the Jackson brothers' deaths, adverse financial conditions forced an auction of the property at the beginning of the 20th century and the fourth generation of the Harding family moved off the property. The former plantation lands formed the independent city of Belle Meade, Tennessee
.
In 1953, Belle Meade Mansion and eight outbuildings on 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) were deeded to the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities, and is today managed by the Nashville chapter of the Association.
Belle Meade, Tennessee
Belle Meade is a city in Davidson County, Tennessee, United States, within Nashville.-Overview:In 1963, it was absorbed into the metropolitan government of Nashville-Davidson County, however, it retains its independent city status, and its residents pay taxes both to the Metro government and to the...
, is an historic plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
whose grounds now function as a museum.
History
In 1807, VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
n John Harding bought Dunham's Station log cabin and 250 acres (101.2 ha) on the Natchez Trace
Natchez Trace
The Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extends roughly from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers...
. In the early years, Harding boarded horses for neighbors such as Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, and he was breeding thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
s by 1816. He shipped grain to Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and New Orleans, and owned large tracts of land in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. In 1820, he started to bulild the beautiful mansion in a Greek style. It originally had four rooms.
In 1853, the mansion was built by General William Giles Harding
William Giles Harding
William Giles Harding was an American naturalist and livestock breeder who attained the rank of Brigadier General in the Tennessee State Militia prior to the American Civil War , and headed the Military and Financial Board of Tennessee at the beginning of the Civil War, until his arrest by Union...
, son of the founder. During this time, the Harding family prospered, building their domain into a 5400 acres (22 km²) plantation that was renowned throughout the world for breeding champion Thoroughbred horses.
The American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
brought deprivation and danger to Belle Meade. During the Battle of Nashville
Battle of Nashville
The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under...
, Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
and Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces skirmished in the front yard, and the mansion's massive stone columns were riddled with bullets. Evidence of the violence is still visible today.
During and after Reconstruction, Belle Meade's reputation as a first-class breeding establishment attracted buyers from around the world for the annual yearling sales. Under the management of Hardin's sons-in-law, brothers William Hicks Jackson
William Hicks Jackson
William Hicks "Red" Jackson was a cotton planter, horse breeder, and general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
and Howell Edmunds Jackson
Howell Edmunds Jackson
Howell Edmunds Jackson was an American jurist and politician. He served on the United States Supreme Court, in the U.S. Senate, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the Tennessee House of Representatives. He authored notable opinions on the Interstate Commerce Act and the...
, Belle Meade Stud flourished. Following the Jackson brothers' deaths, adverse financial conditions forced an auction of the property at the beginning of the 20th century and the fourth generation of the Harding family moved off the property. The former plantation lands formed the independent city of Belle Meade, Tennessee
Belle Meade, Tennessee
Belle Meade is a city in Davidson County, Tennessee, United States, within Nashville.-Overview:In 1963, it was absorbed into the metropolitan government of Nashville-Davidson County, however, it retains its independent city status, and its residents pay taxes both to the Metro government and to the...
.
In 1953, Belle Meade Mansion and eight outbuildings on 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) were deeded to the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities, and is today managed by the Nashville chapter of the Association.