A little bit of History: In 1807, John Harding bought a log cabin  and 250 acres on the Natchez Trace.  For the next 100 years, the Harding family prospered, building their domain into a 5,400 acre plantation that was world renowned as a thoroughbred horse farm.
The Civil War brought deprivation and danger to Belle Meade.  during the Battle of Nashville, Union and Rebel forces skirmished in the front yard, and the mansion's massive stone columns were riddled with bullets, the bullet holes in the columns are still visible today.
In the years after the Civil War, Belle Meade's reputation as a first-class breeding establishment attracted buyers from around the world fro the annual yearling sales.  Many winners in the Kentucky Derby can trace their bloodlines back to Belle Meade horses.
All of the staff and tour guides were dressed in clothing appropriate for the Civil War period.
To the left is a picture of the plantation grounds from the front of the house.   Above is an actual slave barrack. . . . . there were originally around 100 of these scattered over the land.
Nashville Trip Page
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