The antebellum Italianate-style villa that now houses the Belmont Mansion Historical Museum was once inhabited by Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. The couple had a reputation for being quite generous in the community. In this article, you will learn the history of the mansion, as well as the current use of the property.
Belmont Mansion was built with 36 rooms and each one was decorated with beautiful antiques that Adelicia had collected over the years. The mansion was also filled with many other examples of art, including a handful of sculptures the lady of the house bought after the Civil War.
History of the Belmont Mansion
The mansion was constructed at the request of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen because they wanted a summer home that not only their family could enjoy, but also others. In the end, the mansion has 36 rooms that stretched over 19,000 square feet. Surrounding the home were gardens with delightful landscaping. The home also served as an art gallery, conservatory, aviary, zoo, and also had a lake on its premises.
Adelicia and Joseph were known as kind residents. For example, the two opened up the gardens and the estate to the locals of Nashville since there was no park in the area at the time. The couple also took pleasure in entertaining and hosted grand parties and events at the mansion.
After Adelicia’s second husband died in the war, she secretly made arrangements that allowed her cotton shipment to be sold in England for $960,000. This amount of money permitted Adelicia to see the mansion through reconstruction and provided funds for her children. Following the end of the Civil War, Adelicia took her children to Europe, where she continued to collect art. She also purchased five sculptures from well-known American artists that were working in Rome.
Adelicia also made sure that the mansion grounds became the site for a women’s college, and before the property was sold , made arrangements for the college to continue after ownership had changed hands.
The Belmont Mansion Today”¦
Today, you can visit the historical museum, which is open for tours. One of the most appealing features of the property is the spectacular gardens that are still being kept up. Mansion staff provides tours for individuals and groups of up to 15 people. Hours to tour the mansion are from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday and 1pm to 4pm on Sundays. Lunch and dinner tours are also available at the mansion.
Some people have even rented out the Victorian-styled Grand Salon Room for special events. The Belmont Mansion also serves dinner with live entertainment for groups between 25 and 85 people for $35 to $45 per person.
If you are interested in checking out the Belmont Mansion Historical Museum, head on over to the Belmont University Campus , found at 1900 Belmont Boulevard in Nashville, Tennessee. To learn about the paranormal activity associated with the mansion, check out the article titled, “Ghosts of Belmont Mansion.”