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, July 26, 3:15 p.m. – Abba & 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
The amazing story of Abba and Frank Thornton, enslaved by the Hites and the progenitors of a 35… more
Sunday, August 16, 3-5 p.m. – Book Reading with Kenyette Spencer Mills Author of The Dressmakers Secret
Take a journey through history with griot—the traditional African storyteller— Kenyette… more
Take a journey through history with griot—the traditional African storyteller— Kenyette… more
Sunday, August 23, 3:15-3:45 – Kneading in Silence: A Glimpse into the Life of the Enslaved Cook Judah
A free 30-minute presentation discusses the life of Judah, an enslaved cook of Belle Grove. more
A free 30-minute presentation discusses the life of Judah, an enslaved cook of Belle Grove. more
