Belle Grove Plantation

Deck the Halls and Be Apart of History!

Nov. 11th 2013

Belle Grove Plantation

1^st Annual

Christmas Candlelight Tours

It is time to make history at Belle Grove Plantation as we celebrate our first Christmas at the plantation! We will be opening our doors to old and young to come and gaze upon this grand mansion and grounds that has seen so many Christmas past.

On Friday, December 6^th, 2013, Belle Grove Plantation will celebrate their Official Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting. Come help us not only ring in the season, but celebrate officially opening our doors!

Saturday, December 14th Santa arrives at the plantation! The last known visit from Father Christmas to the plantation appeared in the Free Lance Star dating to the 1890s! Come see him return once again and help us celebrate this return to tradition!

Each day, there will be entertainment and warm beverages to help you get into the Holiday Spirit!

Belle Grove Plantation Bed and Breakfast will be opening its doors for the 1^st Annual Christmas Candlelight Tour for the following dates:

Friday, December 6th and Friday, December 13th

6:00pm to 9:00pm

Saturday, December 7th and Saturday, December 14th

Daytime Tours – 12:00pm to 3:00 pm

Evening Tours – 5:00pm to 9:30pm

Sunday, December 8th and Sunday, December 15th

Daytime Tours – 12:00pm to 3:00 pm

Evening Tours – 3:00pm to 6:00pm

The 1st Annual Belle Grove Plantation Decorating and Wreath Contest

will be held this season as part of our Christmas Candlelight Tours.

Come help us “Deck our Halls” and be entered to win some amazing prizes!

Decorating Contest

We will set aside six common rooms for florist, interior decorators, ladies groups or anyone else that would like to help make Belle Grove Plantation grand for the season. Each room, to be decorated in the Colonial theme, will be part of our Christmas Candlelight Tour and will be eligible for the public to vote – the winner gets a free three-day weekend at Belle Grove Plantation Bed and Breakfast.

As a Contestant, your room will be on display for our guests and tour guests, along with your information to promote your organization or business. In addition, you will receive your own half-page write up and one banner-sized ad in our Christmas Candlelight Tour Programs that will be given to everyone taking the Tour.

We will be promoting our event through multiple media outlets, as well as all social media outlets.

To enter, please email us for an application form, commitment form and rules at information@bellegroveplantation.com. We will be taking applications and room selections, first come, first serve. Please do not call to apply.

Before entering, please read the contest rules carefully. If you have any questions, please contact us at information@gmail.com or call 540-621-7340.

Entry Application Period: Monday, November 11^th through Friday, November 22^nd

(or until all rooms are taken; whichever comes first)

Judging will be by public vote during our Christmas Candlelight Tours from Friday, December 6^th to Sunday, December 15^th (weekends only). We will contact the winner first, and then publicly announce the winner on Facebook, Twitter, and our Blog. Each contestant will receive a personal email with the results prior to the announcement.

Wreath Contest

If a room is a little too ambitious for you this year, why not enter our Wreath Contest?

Each Colonial Themed Wreath will be part of our Christmas Candlelight Tour and will be eligible by public vote to win a free night at Belle Grove Plantation Bed and Breakfast.

As a Contestant, your wreath will be on display for our guests and tour guests during our Christmas Candlelight Tour Programs.

We will be promoting our event through multiple media outlets as well as all social media outlets.

We ask that you only select one door to allow others to participate this year.

Before entering, please read the contest rules carefully. If you have any questions, please contact us at information@gmail.com or call 540-621-7340.

Entry Application Period: Monday, November 11^th through Friday, November 22^nd

(or until all doors or doorways are selected, whichever comes first)

Judging will be by public vote during our Christmas Candlelight Tours from Friday, December 6^th to Sunday, December 15^th (weekends only). Each contestant will receive a personal email with the results prior to the public announcement of the winner on Monday, December 16^th on Facebook, Twitter, and our Blog.

We will have 15 exterior doors and two swags over the Main Riverside and Plantation doorways available to choose from. We will be lighting the mansion with exterior spotlights to accent these beautiful creations.

Tickets for the Christmas Candlelight Tour will go on sale soon!

We look forward to seeing you at the plantation this Holiday Season!

Sitting Down with the Madisons

Mar. 21st 2013

On Saturday, Brett and I headed to Montpelier to celebrate James Madison’s Birthday. We were excited since it was the first time we would see the wreath lying at his tomb. Little did we know it would be a day we would never forget.

As we drove down Constitution Highway, just before arriving at the main gate, the sky threaten us by dropping a few rain drops on the window. Brett and I looked at each other and it was as if we were communicating the same words, “We are going to get wet today.” But as we drove up the long drive with the Montpelier Mansion as a backdrop, the rain stopped and we both breathed a sigh of relief.

Montpelier

We parked in the overflow parking lot having arrived with just fifteen minutes to share. I quickly gathered my important items and Brett grabbed our umbrella. We made our way down the road to a side road. From here we could see the family cemetery in the distance. There was a crowd of people already there. We could also hear music. I smiled at Brett as we head to the path.

Just as we arrived at the path which is located across from the Slave Cemetery, we saw a gentleman talking to what we assumed were exchange students from James Madison University. He was explaining to them the roles of the slave on the plantation. I caught myself smiling thinking about the history that would be shared today.

As we walked down the path, you could see just over the ridge a small hill and fence line. I looked up just in time to see a herd of horses running over to the fence line. It was as if they too heard the music and wanted to come and see what it was all about.

When we arrived at the family cemetery, we realized that the ceremony was going to include the United States Marine Corps. If you have been following the blog and have read about us, you know that I am a former Marine and Brett is a retired Navy Corpsman. It was such a wonderful surprise to see these young Marine honoring such a great man.

Kat Imhoff
CEO of Montpelier

The master of ceremony was the new CEO of Montpelier, Kat Imhoff. The ceremony started off with remarks from her followed by the Marine Color Guard and Invocation. There was a presentation give to James Madison and the people of Virginia by Governor McDonnell through one of his representatives declaring Saturday to be James Madison Appreciation Day. In the remarks it was really quite exciting to hear the governor state that James Madison was born in Port Conway, Virginia. I looked at Brett who was video-taping the ceremony on the other side of the wall and gave him a smile and thumbs up.

Jonathan Alger
President of James Madison University

The main speaker was Jonathan Alger, President of James Madison University. In his speak, Mr. Alger called for a “Return to Madison”. There were birthday wreaths presented by several public organizations and locations in honor of Mr. Madison as well as a wreath presented by the Marines by order of President Obama.

After the ceremony and just a small passing sprinkle, Brett and I had a chance to meet Mr. Alger and Ms. Imhoff. We also had a chance to say “Hello” to some of the other staff members we had met during our visit in October. One of them was Tom Chapman, one of the staff that works with the archaeology department. We renewed our invitation for Tom and others to visit us at Belle Grove.

Afterwards we headed to the Visitor Center to purchase our tickets to tour the house. We have seen the mansion many times and could almost do tour ourselves. But we were more interested in seeing “Mr. and Mrs. Madison”. We skipped the film and headed to the Mansion hoping to get into one of the tours. There we were greeted by a staff member helping to direct people. When we asked where the Madisons were, he told us that they were meeting people in the Constitution Room located in Nelly Madison’s wing. We asked if we could skip the tour and go straight there and we were happy to hear that we could.

Reproductions of Dolley’s Clothes
in the Visitors Center

As we entered the room, we observed Mr. Madison sitting with a young girl on one side of the room deep in conversation. Her father was sitting across the aisle tapping the conversation on his cell phone. Mrs. Madison was on the opposite side of the room also holding a conversation with a young boy. It was really fun to watch the children interacting with these two actors as if they were the real people. Of course I can’t say anything about that. When I met them in December, you would have thought I was meeting the man himself then too!

Mr. Madison holding a conversation with a young girl

Mrs. Madison holding a conversation with a young boy

Mr. Madison holding a conversation with a young girl

Once the conversations were done and the family made their way out the door, we sat down and spoke to the Madison. All I can say is, “Wow!” It was really a lot of fun discussing history with them and talking about our plantation and his birthplace. Both were just so knowledgeable about the Madison that I could see why other people have told us that these two re-enactors were the best. We talked about the possibility of them coming to Belle Grove for a birthday celebration next year. Mr. Madison even made the suggestion that we have them come to Belle Grove in September to celebrate his and Dolley’s anniversary. He explained it would be good because his father and mother, James Madison Sr and Nelly Conway Madison were also married on September 15^th. This would be one of many things I would learn from Mr. and Mrs. Madison during our visit. He even asked if he could provide a menu for the dinner!

I think the best part of the visit was when we were discussing our final upcoming public hearing on Tuesday, March 19^th with the Board of Supervisors of King George. Mr. Madison offered to come and speak on our behalf. Now wouldn’t that be something! To have Mr. Madison walk into the board room and give his blessings for our business. We were so touched!

We also asked Mr. Madison if he would consider giving us a list of books he would like to see in our library. We most definitely need a shelf of “recommended reading” by James Madison. We also discussed our Cookie Contest that is currently going on. We explained that the theme is “a Cookie James Madison would like”. This seemed to please them both.

All told we spent the better part of an hour talking with them. For Brett and me, it was truly the highlight of our whole trip. While I know that this isn’t really Mr. and Mrs. Madison, it really makes me wish I could have really known the man and woman. What great things he must have said and what a wonderful personality she must have had. But if this is as close as we could come to the real persons, I have to say, we got the best that there could have ever been.