Belle Meade, Nashville,TN

 

On your next visit to Nashville, Tennessee would you be interested in taking a side journey back to life in the 1800’s and the world of Thoroughbred horses? Yes? Well then join us on this visit to Belle Meade Plantation, one of many Nashville attractions.

Heading south south-west from downtown Nashville we soon arrive at 5025 Harding Road. What a graceful entrance lane…little bridge over a creek, long country lane driveway, and at the far end our first glimpse of the mansion. Very impressive even now (so think what an impression it would have made as one arrived by horse drawn carriage in the past.)

 

Leaving our rental car in the visitor parking area let’s head past the store (I’d like to stop there at the end of our visit) and get our entrance tickets.

Oh my, this is a big place isn’t it. Well, our guided tour of the mansion does not begin for 90 minutes so let’s wander the grounds using the site map we received.

There’s the little cabin where the owners lived before the mansion existed. Now that really must have been a “moving on up” moment when they move into the mansion!

Carriage House and stables. Check. Okay let’s go inside. Huge isn’t it. But think about it. Horse and carriage was the way people back then traveled (no cars, remember) so having a large building for visitors to “park” their carriage and stable their horses would have been part of being a good host, right?

You know, I never realized how many different types of carriages there were. This one is called a brake…  and do you think that one looks a bit like a stage coach. What a perfect setting for a display like this!

 

Jockey outside stables

Did you notice the statue of a jockey as we entered the stable area? I wonder how that fits into the big picture.

 

 

 

Enslaved African American Dwelling (circa 1830) That’s number 4 on this site map. Let’s head over there.

Perhaps we should head back towards the mansion as the guided tour will be starting fairly soon.

I know sitting on the rocking chair here on the porch would be a perfect way to spend the rest of the afternoon, but up you get. Our tour guide has just stepped out of the house and is ready to begin.

Mariette, our guide, explains that the mansion is decorated as if everyone was getting ready for a Christmas party to be held this evening. (Makes sense as Christmas is only a few weeks away in real time.) She also is requesting that no photos be taken inside the mansion, so cameras away.

What a lovely Christmas tree here in the main entry hall. (Back in the 1800s it would have been lit by candles for short periods of time. If I were the lady of the house back then I do not think I would have allowed lit candles on it for even one minute!) Did you notice the oil paintings in the entry? All of horses weren’t they. Hmm, I am starting to see a theme here.

Guests arriving for the party tonight would have been greeted by the housekeeper here in the main entry hall and escorted up the grand staircase to the guest bedrooms where they could change from their traveling clothes into their party clothes.

Let’s follow our guide into the drawing room which has been expanded into two rooms to accommodate everyone invited to tonight’s Christmas party. Now there is a tree I would not have to worry about catching fire. See, the one sitting on the table. It’s made out of feathers tightly wound around a wooden frame.

Next is the men’s smoking room. Very masculine but still warm and cozy. And the high ceilings really do make a difference, don’t they. Mariette is telling us how the host loves to entertain guests with stories about the horses on his stud farm for hours on end. Okay, now I get all the paintings of horses and the jockey statue out by the carriage house.

What, did Mariette say Secretariat? I recognize that name! and she mentioned Iroquois lived here…I know that name sounds familiar too. Something about the English derby.  Hmm, I must do some research on that as I missed what she said about Iroquois.

The table in the dining room is set for a midnight meal. The party would then continue on until about 5 or 6 in the morning!

Continuing on through the kitchen area. Preparations for the meal are well underway. (You know I think I could get used to supervising a staff as they prepared a meal for all my guests! Dream on, huh.)

I really enjoyed that tour. How about you? Want to join me at the gift shop or will you wait in the little restaurant?

How to get to Belle Meade Plantation

5025 Harding Road, Nashville, TN

• prefer not to drive yourself? Book a tour.
• Drive yourself? Check Belle Meade’s official website for directions
• First of all though you have to get to Nashville, Tennessee
• Fly to Nashville

 

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Happy travels!