A visit to Belle Meade Plantation was on the top of my list when my sister and I arrived in Nashville for a long weekend. In addition to all of the music-related attractions, we were also interested in some of the local historical sites and learned that Belle Meade was not only a plantation, but a winery and restaurant.
In the heart of the south, the grounds of this gorgeous estate are beautifully maintained and the home in pristine condition. Belle Meade’s exhibits are educational providing a detailed account of the plantation’s former owners, their everyday lives and an overview of their wide range of businesses.
I loved the simple, yet modern architecture of the home. The shuttered windows and classical columns are elements of a Greek revival façade. Under John Harding’s ownership in the early 1800’s, he grew the farm to include a blacksmith, a grist mill, saw mill and later a cotton gin.
Harding would later break into the industry of horse racing and breeding thoroughbreds. It was a home of high standing that entertained the likes of President Grover Cleveland and General Grant.
Strolling the grounds was a relaxing detour from the nightlife of Nashville’s Music Row. We had arrived early enough where we were the only visitors on the estate and embraced our own love for horses.
John’s son William took over the plantation in 1839 and continued in the business of horses, but it was in the early 1900s that the plantation would fall on hard times.
Belle Meade became famous for its thoroughbreds. In addition to racing, Belle Meade provided sire services and had many successful studs. The Enquirer (1880-1889) and Bonnie Scotland’s (1873-1879) bloodlines continue to dominate horse racing today after many generations. The Enquirer was named after Cincinnati’s newspaper and has been buried here at the plantation.
Belle Meade was, at one time, the largest plantation in the South. The Smokehouse, one of the 10 buildings that remains on the property, smoked approximately 20,000 pounds of pork each year.
The Gardener’s House and Greenhouse was one of the original buildings on the estate, a part of the Belle Meade plantation, circa 1890. The building was used as a private residence for the gardener and a location to store tools for gardening and to plant seeds for food and flowers.
The dairy supplied a variety of products such as cream, cheese, fresh milk and close to 250 pounds of butter each week.
Four generations of the Harding-Jackson families were buried in this mausoleum, designed by Nashville architect, Adolphus Heiman. Once the property was sold to Judge Jacob McGavock Dickinson, the family remains were moved to Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Belle Meade was known to have one of the largest populations of slaves who resided on its premises. After the Civil War, some of the freed slaves stayed on at the mansion to assist in the everyday tasks of keeping the plantation in business. A replica of the two room cabin offers an insight to the life of the slaves and history of slavery around the area.
In 1892, a large carriage house and stables were built at Belle Meade. The building was used to store and display the family’s carriage collection. Depending on the type of transportation, carriages would be selected for every day use such as trips into town or for special occasions when traveling to high-end social events. A 16 passenger double-decker carriage was available for a large group traveling with the family.
Visitors can explore Belle Meade Plantation on a self-guided tour or by guided tour of costumed guides for an additional cost. Specialty excursions such as Culinary Tours and, Progressive Plantation Tours can also be booked through Belle Meade.
At the end of the tour we decided to check out the restaurant’s menu, then wandered the gift shop and indulged in a free wine tasting.
The Winery at Belle Meade Plantation opened in November of 2009 producing wines from local muscadine grapes and blackberries. They offer an assortment of wines and wine-related products that are unique and native to Nashville. My absolute favorite was the Red Muscadine.
Just as John Harding had intended, Belle Meade continues to offer its visitors an assortment of quality products and services. The long time tradition of hospitality remains an integral part of the plantation as it had so many years ago.
Have you already visited the Belle Meade Plantation? I would love to hear about your experience if your would kindly leave a message below! Happy Travels!!
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What to See and What to Do:
Belle Meade Plantation
5025 Harding Pike
Nashville, TN 37205
Telephone: 615 356 0501
- Admission Fee: Mansion Tour Admission (lasts 45 minutes): $24 for adults, $20 for seniors 65+, Youth ages 6 – 18; Children 5 and under are free. Grounds Tour only: $15 for adults and $10 for youth; Segway Guided Tours: $35 for adults; Wine and Food Pairing is $35 per person; Private Tasting from $50 per person; The Battle of Nashville Tour which includes three battle sites starts at $48 per person and the one hour Journey to Jubilee Tour starts at $24 per person.
- Hours: Daily from 9AM to 5PM with the exception of some holidays. Tours begin at 9:30 and the last tour of the day begins at 4PM. Belle Meade Plantation is closed on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The Harding House, the on-site restaurant, provides seasonal hours, so refer to the website to confirm the hours of operation.
- Amenities: Tour guides, restaurant, winery, wine tastings, self-guided tours.
- Scenic View: The grounds are absolutely astounding and provide scenic views throughout the property.
- Length of Visit: 3 hours to include the mansion tour, ground tour and winery tasting
- Tips for Your Visit: The Journey to Jubilee tour is highly recommended which takes you through the slave exhibit. On the grounds tour you will have access to all of the out buildings as well as the previous gravesite of the owners. The winery makes a great muscadine and we enjoyed the wine tasting following our tour.
Where to Stay:
Hampton Inn & Suites Nashville
310 4th Avenue, South
Nashville, TN 37201
Telephone: 615 277 5000
Where to Eat:
The Harding House at Belle Meade Plantation
5025 Harding Pike
Nashville, TN 37205
Telephone: 615 356 0096
I can’t remember the last time I had homemade meatloaf, and when I learned that it was the house specialty, I couldn’t wait to dig into some southern comfort food! I also saved room for their bread pudding.
What to Eat:
- Nashville Hot Chicken: Spicy chicken
- Meat and Three: A meat and three sides
What to Read:
- Because You’re Mine, by Rea Frey
- A Murder in Music City, by Michael Bishop
- All We Ever Wanted, by Emily Giffin
Photo Guide for Nashville:
- Downtown Broadway
- Opryland Hotel
- I Believe in Nashville mural
- Ryman Auditorium
- The Parthenon at Centennial Park
- Draper James Building
- John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
