Adelicia Acklen, one of the wealthiest women in the country, built Belmont in 1853 with her second husband, Joseph Acklen.
The house was the center of a large estate with gardens, a zoo and an art gallery. Much of her wealth came from plantations worked by enslaved people.
The mansion is now surrounded by Belmont University and open as a museum.
Timeline
- 1853Belmont is built.
- 1864Union troops camp on the grounds.
- 1890Becomes a school for women.
A house built for summers became the heart of a university.
