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Belle Grove is located in the northern Shenandoah Valley near Middletown, Virginia. It was the home Major Isaac Hite and his wife Nelly Madison Hite, sister of President James Madison. Major Hite, grandson of Shenandoah Valley Pioneer Jost Hite, used enslaved labor to expand his original 483 acres to a prosperous 7500 acre plantation, growing wheat, raising livestock, and operating a large distillery and several mills. The Manor House, completed in 1797, was the centerpiece of the property and is open for touring today. MORE

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Sunday, May 25Abba & Frank Thornton: Making a Garden from a Thicket
The amazing story of Abba and Frank Thornton, enslaved by the Hites and the progenitors of a 35… more
Monday, May 26, 2025Belle Grove Closed Memorial Day
Belle Grove Plantation will be closed on Monday, May 26, 2025 in observance of the Memorial Day… more
Wednesday, May 28, 11 a.m.Wild Wednesdays
Families are invited to join us at Belle Grove to have fun learning about our wild world!  more
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