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The grand estate of Belmont
was completed in 1853 by the wealthy Adelicia Acklen and her second husband,
Colonel Joseph Acklen. Built as an Italian villa-style home to escape the heat
at their 8,400-acre Louisiana cotton plantation, the Acklens built, furnished,
and landscaped one of the most elaborate antebellum homes in Tennessee-complete
with 36 rooms, 10,900 square feet of living quarters and 8,400 square feet
downstairs of service space. Accented with an art gallery, conservatories,
lavish gardens, aviary, lake and zoo, the Acklens graciously allowed
Nashvillians to visit the park-like setting and roam freely over the 180-acre
estate. Today, Belmont Mansion sits in the middle of the Belmont University
campus. In addition to the unique home, a small portion of the original
landscaping and statuary have been preserved for all to enjoy. |
shown
on following pages are the property of 
