The Grand Belle Meade Mansion

Belle Meade Plantation is a historic plantation and mansion that now functions as a museum in Belle Meade, Tennessee. The plantation still includes 30 acres of land and features a full winery, original period housing, and buildings, as well as a visitor’s center.

Building Belle Meade

Near Richland Creek lie the original red brick house that was built in the early 19th century by Southern farmer John Harding. The entrance hall holds two stories and five rooms, built on a foundation of limestone.

Almost 30 years later, the house received a major face lift when General William Giles Harding, John’s son, took over the plantation in 1853. In an attempt to make Belle Meade more permanent, stucco was applied to the red bricks, and patios were added to the house.

The Grounds Of Belle Meade

Belle Meade covers a sprawling 30 cares, with 10 buildings scattered across the property. One of these buildings is an Original 1790s log cabin that was purchased by Harding Sr. in 1807. Other buildings on the property include slaves quarters, a dairy, a children’s playhouse, and the largest smokehouse in the South that, at its peak, smoked as much as 10 metric tons of pork a year. Maybe the most impressive feature of the entire property is the multi-family carriage collection that’s housing was built in 1892. This collection features smaller carriages used for traversing the estate, a larger carriage for trips into town, and a 16-passenger double decker carriage for get-togethers with family and friends

Interior Of The Plantation

The 14-foot high entrance runs the entire home from east to west, allowing the seasonal winds to cool the home naturally. Scattered across the walls are paintings of the most famous Thoroughbred horses from the plantation, done by 19th-century painters like Henry Stull, Harry Hall, and Edward Troye. The library and dining rooms feature portraits of different members of the Harding family, as well as lanterns that were originally lit using methane gas from manure.

Belle Meade Plantation Today

Following the death of the last original owner of Belle Meade, and his son the same year, the decision was made among the family to sell the plantation. The plantation was purchased by The Belle Meade Land Company, which then proceeded to develop the surrounding area into the neighborhood, and eventually the city of Belle Meade. In 1938, the lands that used to belong to the plantation were incorporated into the city of Belle Meade, TN. Belle Meade Plantation remained a private home until 1953 when the State of Tennessee purchased the mansion, as well as eight of the surrounding buildings on the original 30 acres of land. The house is now a popular tourist attraction and an iconic spot for weddings and other events. People curious to visit this piece of southern history can embark on a tour of the mansion, grounds, as well as the winery. The Belle Meade gift shop features period authentic, replica knick knacks and apparel that is sure to please the history buff in anybody’s life.

While kicking back, and sightseeing the abundance of beauty Nashville has to offer, make sure to visit the Belle Meade Plantation, to further you knowledge on this city’s history! If you need legal help while in town, visit us at Colavecchio Law Office. Next, read our article about the Parthenon located in Nashville.