Cooperative Living September 2021 - 8

FieldTrip | by Gregg MacDonald, Staff Writer
The Future of History
Lies in the Past
Shenandoah's Belle Grove Plantation is
researching the lives of its enslaved inhabitants
B
elle Grove, a grand plantation in
Virginia's northern Shenandoah
Valley, stands as a living
monument to the myriad agrarian
cultures prevalent in the area in the
18th century and beyond.
These cultures were white and
Black, European and African, free
and enslaved.
Today, work is underway to discover
more about this unique property near
Middletown, with a special emphasis
on researching the lives of the enslaved
people that once inhabited it.
Located in Shenandoah Valley
Electric Cooperative territory, Belle
Grove is a National Historic Landmark,
a Virginia Historic Landmark and a
historic property of the National Trust
for Historic Preservation.
According to
Kristen Laise
Kristen Laise, Belle
Grove's executive
director, the
plantation's highest
priorities are to
" stimulate historical
and preservation
awareness among
regional residents
and visitors from
all over the world. "
HISTORY LESSON
The history of Belle Grove begins
with German immigration into the
Shenandoah Valley.
In 1732, Jost Hite, with his business
partner Robert McKay and 16 families,
journeyed to the valley to settle on
more than 100,000 acres obtained
in land grants bestowed by the
Colonial Council of Williamsburg.
Hite and most of his family owned
slaves, who were instrumental in
settling Hite's newly acquired land and
6 | Cooperative Living | September 2021
making it profitable. Following in his
father's footsteps, Jost Hite's son, Isaac
Hite Sr., was a Shenandoah Valley
farmer and merchant who, in 1783,
gave his son, Isaac Hite Jr., 483 acres
of land as a wedding gift. These 483
acres became Belle Grove Plantation.
Isaac Hite Jr. married Nelly Conway
Madison, the sister of future U.S.
President James Madison.
Construction began on the Belle
Grove Manor House in 1794 and was
completed in 1797. The mansion,
built from limestone quarried on the
property and facing the Valley Pike
(today U.S. 11), displayed the owners'
social and financial status.
" Hite family records indicate that
they owned 276 enslaved persons at
Belle Grove between 1783 and 1851, "
says Laise. " Research is underway
about these 276 men, women and
children who were responsible for
making the plantation a success.
Understanding and uplifting the
historical contributions of this enslaved
community is an ongoing effort and
priority. Although no slave quarters
are extant, archaeology is underway
in the areas where they lived. "
RESEARCH EFFORTS
Laise says that a likely enslaved
burial ground lies just 200 yards north
of the Manor House. " The evidence
that the area was used for the burial
of the enslaved lies in the fact that it
is on high ground, in an area not
used for farming, and that it has field
stones rather than headstones to mark
the graves, " she noted.
Laise says it is possible that
additional enslaved burial grounds
are on the property. The official Hite
family cemetery is located two miles
southeast of Belle Grove.
at the west end of the original house
created the 100-foot facade that stands
today. The grain and livestock plantation
continued to grow until Hite controlled
7,500 acres of land.
Today, Belle Grove is composed of 283
remaining acres; much of the property is
used for agriculture. The Manor House,
located near the intersection of Interstates
66 and 81, offers guided tours, while a
teaching garden demonstrates some of
the plants grown for household use.
In addition, Belle Grove's annual
" Of Ale and History " Beer Fest in May
and Wine Fest in August feature Virginiamade
products. From Oct. 5-10, Belle
Grove will host the National Sheepdog
Finals from the United States Border
Collie Handler's Association.
" There is so much to see, do and
learn here, " says Laise. " For employees,
volunteers and visitors alike. " 
For more, go to bellegrove.org.
For more detailed information about
the enslaved population at Belle Grove,
go to bellegrove.org/about/enslaved.
co-opliving.com
Recent research efforts have uncovered
a good bit of information about Belle
Grove's enslaved population so far and
continues to be an ongoing effort.
" Among the first enslaved Africans
http://www.bellegrove.org http://www.bellegrove.org/about/enslaved http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living September 2021

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