Belle Grove Plantation (Episode 10)

Send us Fan MailBelle Grove Plantation in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia was built in 1797 by a man whose wife was the sister of President James Madison. At its peak, Isaac Hite Jr. enslaved 270 people. The growth and success of Belle Grove — everything you see when you visit — was built on their labor.Today, Belle Grove is doing the work of putting names and faces to those 270 people, one by one. Their online museum has 24 issues of newsletters, each dedicated to one or two enslaved individuals. And every holiday season, 170 LED candles flicker on — one for each enslaved person whose name they know — arranged by family, because slavery rips families apart, and even in a symbolic way, Belle Grove is trying to keep them together.Executive Director Kristen Lays joins The Parks Podcast during the holiday season to share the full story.In this episode: — The history of Belle Grove from the 1730s to today — the Heights, the Madison connection, the Civil War headquarters — The 270 enslaved people who built Belle Grove and what the ongoing research is uncovering — The graffiti attic — 500+ signatures dating to 1857, including Civil War soldiers and a guest who signed Edgar Allan Poe's name after he was already dead — The holiday season at Belle Grove — garden clubs, Winter Whimsy, and what the holidays would actually have looked like in 1797 — The candle ceremony — 170 LED candles, one for each enslaved person whose name is known, arranged by family — How to plan your visit — guided tours, evening hours, special programs throughout the yearLinks mentioned: — Belle Grove: bellegrove.org — Enslaved community online museum: virtual.bellgrove.org — Instagram: @bellegrove1797Support the show