When restoration work began in this room, two built in bookshelves were discovered covered up with modern plaster. One of those shelves still had original wallpaper in the back. In order to recreate the historic Billiard Room wallpaper, Belmont Mansion staff collaborated with Belmont alumna Elizabeth Williams. Take a moment and learn more about this unique Nashville artist and the beautiful work she produced for Belmont Mansion. Don't overlook that incredible Tennessee chocolate marble mantel produced by Scott Kelly - another Belmont alumni! Photos by Sam Simpkins.

Belmont Mansion’s spaces hidden below stairs functioned as the “control center” of Adelicia’s estate. A large kitchen, food storage areas, wine cellar, as well as a probable summer dining room were all located below the principle floor. Though it was far from a dark dank basement, the lower level had full daylight as the hill falls away quickly from the rear of the residence. This staircase saw the delivery of all meals to both dining rooms on the main level. Fresh and dirty linen, along with other laundry, was also carried up and down these stairs. Any servant, whether enslaved or free, would be more familiar with the spaces below stairs than the elaborate rooms above. Their main point of access to the Acklens would have been this staircase. We long suspected the service stair was located in the gallery between the two dining rooms, but all evidence had been lost when new oak flooring was installed about 1900 over the original marbleized floor. When two layers of modern flooring were removed in recent weeks, the location of the service stairs was revealed. The 1853 stair outline was intact. We were able to determine not only the width and length of the stair, but also the direction from which it ran. An analysis of surviving evidence (worn floor boards) revealed the head of the stair began at the edge of the formal dining room opposite the service pantry. Further examination determined the point of attachment of the railing enclosing the opening. A repair to the architrave of the formal dining room door at the height of the balustrade offered evidence of the direction in which the stairs ran. We now know dimensions of the balusters (erroneously known as spindles) used in the rail due to “ghost” marks remaining on Adelicia’s marbleized floor. It was also possible to ascertain the number and placement of balusters which were simply nailed into the floor, not dovetailed into the structure as would be expected. Conclusive evidence such as this will allow for future restoration of these elements, which we hope to begin in the coming months. Restoration of these elements will allow Belmont Mansion to include more information about the activities of all who called Belmont home, both enslaved and free.

The 19th century was a time of great change in women's fashion. The century began with high waistlines and straight skirts, and by the 1850s, the style had evolved into a more natural waistline and full skirt. Adelicia Acklen's clothing choices showcase the most fashionable trends from Europe and North America during that time. Follow Belmont Mansion as we embark on a nine part series showcasing the dresses, jewelry, and fashion choices of Adelicia Acklen. --- There is no doubt that Adelicia Hayes Franklin Acklen Cheatham was known in Nashville, if not in American society, for her fashion choices. She made quite the domineering impression in 1866 when she and her French driver, dressed in full livery, arrived at church in her cockade hat “appearing as a duchess.” On another occasion, her fashionable taste was featured in Queens of American Society.[1] William Acklen, Adelicia’s son, wrote in his account, “In memory I often see my mother in her beautiful gowns which came from Paris, (one of which I particularly remember with rows of beads crossing and recrossing.)” Unfortunately, Adelicia’s fashionable dress collection chiefly exists only in the photographs and portraits Belmont Mansion possesses today and there is still much mystery surrounding her undoubtedly designer clothing. A few newspaper articles describing various balls and events at Belmont also give insight into Adelicia’s fashion sense. One dress is described in particular in several sources on two different occasions as being the dress that she was presented in at the court of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie. It is described as a pearl or white silk dress which was trimmed with point d’alencon lace, worn with a brussels point lace veil, a diamond necklace, bracelet, diamond clasped girdle, and of course her diamond tiara, which was a gift from the Emperor and Empress for her marriage to Dr. William Cheatham.[2] This dress description is consistent with the color that a woman would have worn to be presented in at the French or English court. Another dress is described in the Daily American in its description of a dinner party given at Belmont. Adelicia wore a black silk dress trimmed in point d’alencon lace with diamonds.[3] Despite that the exact contents of Adelicia’s wardrobe are still unknown, several designers of her clothing are known. It seems she frequently shopped at a dress shop called Madame Olympia’s indicating that much of which she owned may have been from Madame Olympe Boisse. Madame Olympe, based in New Orleans visited her birth place of France often to stay current with the latest fashions and was one of the first American designers to label her creations.[4] William Acklen also wrote of her gowns from Paris being designed by a “Piugot.” It is likely, in his context, he actually meant the highly sought after designer Emile Pingat. Pingat was known for his extremely meticulous detailed work though not much is known about Pingat personally.[5] She also had at least one gown by Charles Frederick Worth, another of the prominent Parisian designers of the time.[6] Knowing that these designers crafted at least some of her wardrobe, her dresses were almost certainly exquisite. Fortunately, some photographs of other types of dress she wore can continue to illustrate the story of Adelicia’s fashion, some of which can be seen below. --- [1] Albigence Waldo Putnam, journal, November of 1866; and Elizabeth Fries Ellet, The Queens of American Society (Philadelphia: Porter and Coates, 1873), 419-20. [2] Ellet, The Queens of American Society, 419-420; and Belmont Mansion, Research files, Acklen Family, Adelicia, Cheatham Wedding (1867) Transcript from a newspaper clipping from 1867 found in a scrapbook in possession of Dr. Mack Wayne Craig. [3] Daily American, May 29, 1881. [4] Adelicia shopped at a dress shop called, “Madame Olympia’s” in New Orleans on October 31st 1868, William Ackland Papers, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and The Metropolitan Museum Collection Records, http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/157899 accessed on August 8th, 2016. [5] Belmont Mansion, Research files, Acklen Family, Acklen, William H- Journal “Scion of Belmont,” 18; and The Metropolitan Museum collection Records, http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/159180 accessed on August 8th, 2016. [6] Mark Brown, interview with Franck Kaiser, grandson of Adelicia.

The 19th century was a time of great change in women's fashion. The century began with high waistlines and straight skirts, and by the 1850s, the style had evolved into a more natural waistline and full skirt. Adelicia Acklen's clothing choices showcase the most fashionable trends from Europe and North America during that time. Follow Belmont Mansion as we embark on a nine part series showcasing the dresses, jewelry, and fashion choices of Adelicia Acklen. Lockets were an essential piece to any woman’s collection, especially in the second half of the nineteenth century. Sentimental lockets like this one, holding a lock of hair from Adelicia, would have been considered a classic piece. The exchange of locks of hair was a custom that was practiced to commemorate loved ones for both celebration and as an act of mourning. It stemmed from the practice from the late medieval period of wearing mourning rings, which was revived and expanded upon in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and eventually included adding locks of hair in jewelry in the nineteenth century. Victorians often revived and even reshaped the concepts of medieval customs and chivalry which so appealed to their romantic tendency. The Order of the Garter emblem on the front once more reflects the fascination Victorians had with British Royalty and chivalry. This locket most likely belonged to Pauline because her name is engraved on the back and because the lock of hair belonging to Adelicia.[1] --- [1] Deirdre O’Day, Victorian Jewellery rev. ed. (London: Charles Letts Books Limited, 1982): 36-37, 64.

During the days of Adelicia, Belmont Mansion was one of the premiere party destinations in Nashville. The stunning grounds and opulent house made it the ideal setting for a Victorian affair. In September 1877, Dr. Cheatham and Adelicia hosted a reception for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This brief description of the event, allows us to step back in time and imagine the beauty and splendor of a 19th century Belmont Mansion party. --- "Thursday evening the American Association for the Advancement of Science, at the kind invitation of Dr. and Mrs. W. A. Cheatham, repaired to their residence in a body. As the carriages drove up through the magnificent grounds of Belmont, a band of music, concealed in a cluster of evergreens, welcomed them with a fine burst of melody. The association was largely accompanied with ladies, and they were received in the hall by Dr. Cheatham and son, and Colonel Acklen, of Louisiana, and conducted into the drawing room, where they were greeted by Mrs. Dr. Cheatham, assisted by the beautiful and accomplished Mrs. Goodman, nee Acklen, of Memphis. The evening was spent in the most charming manner-ices and fruits everywhere to cool the inner man-sparkling wit incited by the presence of many lovely women, flowers and pictures all around-the scene was one to delight the beholder and ravish his senses. Soon the grounds were permeated all around with promenaders, and to add to the completeness of the occasion, Mrs. Craig, the pet of Nashville, regaled the throng with three of her charming songs. They were of course met with the heartiest applause, and the whispered query all around was, "Who is she?" You may believe the Nashvillians were not slow to claim the sweet songstress. Nashville and Tennessee may well be proud of these hospitable citizens who have contributed so notably in enhancing the pleasure of our visitors and giving eclat to their visit." RURAL SUN, September 6, 1877, p. 760.

Though Belmont Mansion is closed to guests, it’s ongoing care requires routine visits to ensure the safety of the structure and collections within. On the few days I have been on site in the last month, it has been impossible for me not to continue my architectural investigations. In preparation for graining all door and window frames in the first floor gallery, I have been poking and scraping uneven paint surfaces. Remember this old house still has many secrets we are waiting to uncover. In recent days my prep work revealed several locations where it was possible to reveal sections of the 1859 faux oak graining. Within a few hours’ time large expanses were once again visible for the first time in over 130 years. Decades of white and buff paint layers covered a simple, dark and unimaginative college era graining. In most areas all but this 1890s graining was easily removed once the first chip was broken loose. Difficult to remove, the college graining finally gave way to reveal the artistry below. It will be of no surprise to anyone familiar with Belmont what has been revealed is of an unsurpassed quality in a domestic structure locally. As found, there is a mixture of quarter sawn, figured grain, straight grain and fanciful graining, sometimes all applied to the same architrave. To date I have been able to identify two if not three different hands at work simultaneously. Adelicia’s Grand Salon was enlivened by these fluid and fanciful designs of her expert grainers. We will continue to explore and analyze this new find which will be preserved in place and viewable once guests return to Belmont.

Veterans’ Day is an opportunity to pause and thank those who’ve served our country, both in the recent and distant past. Military service can take many forms, and for African Americans during the Civil War it’s a complicated story without simple descriptions. One such person whose service the staff at Belmont Mansion have worked to better understand was Randolph Acklen, or as he was listed on the Impressment Rolls – Randolph Acklin. Randolph was an enslaved man of Col. Joseph and Adelicia Acklen who was impressed by the Federal Army to help build fortifications around Nashville including Fort Negley, just a mile and a half from the Belmont Estate. Following the loss of Forts Henry and Donelson in February of 1862, Nashville came under the control of the Federal Army. President Lincoln then appointed former Governor Andrew Johnson to become Military Governor of Tennessee, who saw the need for fortifications to protect Nashville’s strategic rails and supplies. St. Cloud Hill was one of the sites chosen as a fort, and in August 1862, Brig. Gen. James St. Clair Morton, the design engineer for this new fort, put the word out to impress the slaves of rebel slaveholders in Davidson County. So the Federal Army began a practice of Impressment which involved taking African Americans off the streets, from farms, and from plantations to work building the needed fortifications. Randolph was impressed sometime between August and November of 1862, and, by records found today, he worked for a period of four months at the promised wage of $7.00 per month. This wage was never given to Randolph. It is known that he was to be provided daily subsistence, as well as an ax, spade, or pick by Col. and Mrs. Acklen so that he could perform his labor at Fort Negley. While the living conditions at the fort during construction were extremely poor, Randolph could have walked the mile and a half back to the Belmont estate in the evening. We do have a reference to the slaves impressed from the Gen. William G. Harding family of Belle Meade returning home to the plantation on Sundays to see their families. Fort Negley took many months to build; the site would eventually cover all four acres atop St. Cloud Hill. In the end, it was constructed with over 60,000 cubic feet of stone and 18,000 cubic yards of earth. There have been documented 2,771 laborers employed to build the fortifications, with only just over 300 being paid, and an estimated 600 to 800 died during construction. It is unknown if Randolph survived his impressment as he has yet to appear in the historic record after the Impressment Roll listing. Union Major George Stearns was responsible for recruiting impressed workers to join United States Colored Troops and through his published writings he documents a system with severe consequences for those involved. His words describing what resulted are documented in this excerpt found in The Life and Public Services of George Stearns by Frank Preston Stearns. "The Government has not kept its faith with the colored man anywhere. When I went to Nashville, colored men, free and slave were hunted daily through the streets, and impressed for labor on fortifications, railroads, and in hospitals, and although promised ten dollars per month, it was rarely paid, and many of them worked twelve to fifteen months without any pay. "Let me give you one case of several that came under my notice. When our army occupied Nashville, in August, 1862, calls were made for slaves to work on the fortifications. About twenty-seven hundred were employed. A large number ran from their masters. Many Union men sent their best hands, and some were impressed. These men working in the heat of the autumn months, lying on the hillside at night in the heavy dew without shelter, and fed with poor food, soon sickened. In four months about eight hundred of them died; the remainder were kept at work from six to fifteen months without pay. Then all who were able-bodied were forcibly enlisted in the Twelfth United States colored troops. Many of them had families who were destitute of the necessities of life." Randolph may not have been the only enslaved person from Belmont at Fort Negley. George Apeland also appears on the rolls, owner listed as Col. Apeland. As only the spoken name was given when men were records in the Rolls and Acklen could be spelled by many variations it is quite possible George and Randolph were both from Belmont. Regardless of where they came from or how the 2,771 men who labored building Fort Negley did so under extreme conditions that resulted in a nearly 25% mortality rate. Their work, to the Union defense of the city of Nashville, supported an effort that ultimately resulted in the preservation of the Union. Once again we are reminded that history sometimes isn’t pretty and seldom provides simple answers to complicated questions.

Belmont Mansion has begun its next major restoration – the return of a painted floor to the Grand Salon. Joseph and Adelicia Acklen added the Grand Salon to their summer home, Belle Monte, as a statement of their place in Tennessee society, their aspirations, and, in particular, Joseph's political aspirations. They decorated it keeping with those aspirations. This year, a major element of that room is returning. When this room was completed in 1860 it enclosed an open space that existed between the u-shaped gallery which ran along the back of the house. A pattern representing black and white marble blocks, with the white blocks being veined, was painted on a random width wood floor. This design covered the entire floor of the largest room in any Tennessee home in 1860. When the house became a school the original floor was showing significant wear and subsequently was covered with a new oak floor. Two generations later another oak floor was overlaid on the school floor. This meant that now two layers of modern flooring covered the painted salon floor of the Acklens. ​Seventy plus years have passed since the last floor was installed. Imagine the wear to that floor as frequently as this house is used for events. Don't forget to mention the tens of thousands of guests who arrive each year to view the mansion. By 2016, this last floor was beginning to fail structurally. Staff had two alternatives: overlay with yet another floor, or remove the two layers of oak floor to expose the original patterned floor for the first time over a hundred years. ​The decision was made to remove all of the “modern” oak flooring from the historic space. The original floor is pine, a wood far too soft for the use this museum sees. So, the original floor is being covered to preserve it in place for future generations. A new hardwood floor of the same width as the original floor is being overlaid in such a manner that it can easily be removed in the future, if needed. Artisans will replicate the original black and white marbleized floor pattern on the new floor. We'll be basing their designs on the ones artisans created nearly 160 years ago and will leave a portion of the original floor exposed for viewing and future study. Additionally, the location of the Salon's fountain and the service stair will be indicated on the new floor.

Each element of the Central Parlor of Belmont Mansion contributes to the overall effect. That includes the woodwork in the room which was also in need of restoration when staff began the long process of bringing this room back to its 19th century appearance. Ron Ames from Nashville, now retired, was able to reproduce the faux rosewood graining on the baseboards for the room. A section of the original graining was exposed from which he was able to copy the graining. The addition of the dark graining adds a richness to the room. During the exploration of the room for clues we were only able to uncover about a square inch of the original wallpaper. Not enough to determine a pattern. We were fortunate enough to locate a paper that was in a home about 26 miles from the Acklen’s home in Louisiana. A family and a house she would have known. This 1850s French wallpaper was suitable for a parlor and the site graciously allowed us to reproduce the paper.

The window treatment for the restored Central Parlor was an especially difficult challenge. The window is in a corner of the room, a most odd location. In the adjacent wall is a door with a cornice that over hangs the window frame. In the mid-19th century window treatments for the “best rooms” were a layered affair with a minimum of four layers. First you have a gilded plasterwork cornice of plaster decorations on wood which were usually made by the same companies that made mirror frames. These gilded cornices are very rare today. Hung on the inside of the cornice was the lambrequin, either flat or with swags. Behind the lambrequin, were the drapes, hung from a rod, descending to the floor. Behind the drapes were the lace sheers, or glass curtains as they were known in the mid-19th century. Sometimes there was even a fifth layer – a pulled window shade that would be decorated with a design. (Remember the Victorian motto, “no surface left undecorated.”) Our challenge with the Central Parlor window was there was no way of getting the gilded cornice in place to start the procession because of the adjacent door frame. A period design had to be located that did not use a cornice. Research prevailed and a design was found in L’Ameublement au XIXe siècle by A. Sanguineti published in Paris around 1864. Belmont Mansion Association member Harriette McHenry volunteered to undertake the recreation of this elaborate design. After months of drawing, projecting the design onto tracing paper, adjusting for the different proportions of the window and making a muslin mockup she was ready to start cutting fabric, sewing, and attaching the yards of trims. The result is stunning. This same source showed a very distinctive lace design for the glass curtain. In another amazing stroke of luck we learned of Christine and Trent Buhr. This couple in Chattanooga not only have the ability to sew but the design skills to interpret the engraving, the knowledge as to where to find the materials needed and a nineteenth century corning machine for making lace curtains. Tremendous. The results are absolutely beautiful and could not have been achieved with the skills and talents of these artisans.

Somehow it's not surprising that a son of one of the 19th century's most dynamic and independent women was part of the campaign for women's right to vote. Joseph Hayes Acklen, pictured here, was Adelicia's oldest surviving child by Joseph A. S. Acklen. After a career in the Louisiana legislature, Joseph H. Acklen, an attorney educated at Cumberland University, moved back to Nashville where he entered private practice. Leadership positions in the Davidson County Democratic Party, the State Bar Association and service on the Nashville City Council put him in good position to navigate the complicated waters of ratification. For ratification was far from a straight forward task, and the politics of simply bringng the amendment to a vote by the Tennessee legislature required astute political accumen and a clear understanding of law. Sounds complicated? Well it was. Acklen was the constitutional expert who illuminated the path forward. The history of Women's Suffrage had of course begun generations before and was carried forward by women of strength and intellect just like Joseph's mother, Adelcia. However, it wasn't until June 1920 when a Supreme Court ruling brought the passage of the amendment into the realm of possible. That ruling called for ratification by the legislature of 36 states and by chance it fell to Tennessee as the last hope for the final vote and a legislature that might be amenable. Hurdles abounded however. That is where Joseph made his mark. Considered an authority on the Tennessee constitution, Col. Acklen had published on May 11th in the Nashville Banner that should the Supreme Court rule that ratification had to follow the exact procedure found in the federal constitution then the door was open for the sitting general assembly of Tennessee to act for ratification. That act that had previously been considered impossible due to a never challenged article of the state's constitution. Joseph's analysis of that article declared it would not apply if the Supreme Court ruled as anticipated. So in June 1920 when the Supreme Court's decision came down as expected Joseph, then the general counsel for the Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association, urged members to agitate for a special session of the General Assembly. The Suffragists and their supporters quickly stepped forward, stepped up and made it happen. As we near the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment on August 24th, 1920, we should be mindful of the generations of women who could not vote, or hold office but influenced their neighbors, lobbied their elected officials and guided their children in the fight for women's right to vote. Learn more about Tennessee's role in the passage of the 19th Amendment through the Tennesse State Library and Archives website.

April 1865 marked a turbulent time in Nashville; remarkable given that the city and its citizens had just endured a long Civil War and occupation by the Federal Army. Emotions in the city ran from fear, to excitement, to joy and defeat. It all began on April 3rd when word reached Nashville that Richmond had fallen to the Union army. Business in the city came to a standstill as citizens, soldiers and freedmen crowded the streets. Everyone began to realize that the four years of war might be at the end. Then, on Wednesday April 5th William G. Brownlow of East Tennessee was inaugurated as Governor of Tennessee, thus ending the military government under which the state had existed since it had fallen to Union forces in 1862. On the same day the state legislature ratified the thirteenth amendment to the United States Constitution thereby prohibiting slavery. The two events helped prepare Tennessee for re-entry into the Union. It would be the first southern state to do so. The following Monday, April 10, at about 9:00 A.M., the report of Lee surrendering to Grant was posted on the bulletin board of the Nashville Dispatch newspaper office located on Deaderick Street. A celebration began that continued into the night as the downtown streets filled with citizens, soldiers, and freedmen. This is, at this point, a city full of temporary residents, because in April 1865 there are still over 15,000 Federal soldiers and 13,000 civilian Army employees present. While that number is down from December 1864 when over 55,000 soldiers had lived in and around Nashville, many of those working for the Quartermaster Department had brought their families with them thus further increasing the population. Additionally, refugees had flooded the city. There were thousands of freedmen in Nashville alongside thousands of women and children who had traveled from the North to find husbands, brothers, and fathers in the numerous hospitals. Nashville was the medical center for the western theater of the war. All of these people had an immeasurable impact on a town whose population in 1860 had been just under 17,000. Two days after that announcement, Adelicia Acklen gave a large ball at Belle Monte (later known as Belmont Mansion). Curiously, it not known why she gave the party or why only one account is known of the event. Perhaps, it was planned as a celebration of the war’s end. Or perhaps it was a charity event to benefit the refuge association caring for the refugee women and children in the city; Adelicia served on the organization’s board of directors. Whatever the occasion, it was soon eclipsed by events to unfold that weekend. For Saturday April 15th in Nashville was planned to be a day of celebration. The entire population of the city turned out for the festivities. Everyone from the surrounding country side was in town. All of the businesses were closed. Every building in town was "richly decorated with flags, evergreens and patriotic mottoes." A military parade with 15,000 troops was planned. It was all to start at 10:00 in the morning. As the military forces formed for the parade news that President Lincoln has been assassinated the night before reached Nashville by telegraph at 10:00 a.m. Word spread from person to person, and the crowd became strangely quiet. At first not a word was spoken; no one moved. Never before had an American president been assassinated and certainly not just days after a military surrender which had ended the bloodiest war the country had known. The path forward was unchartered. Especially, for the Federal forces that occupied the city. The crowd became frantic. The celebration was cancelled; the soldiers returned to their barracks in formation with their guns reversed as the bands played funeral dirges. The dry goods stores were opened so that black crepe could be distributed to hang on the houses and commercial buildings. Those who did not join the observance were threatened with military orders to do so. Houses that were not decorated for mourning were confiscated by the army within days. Respectful mourning was expected. The potential consequence for not? In the days that followed, six or seven people who showed joy over Lincoln's death were shot and killed where they stood. On Wednesday April 19th, the day of Lincoln’s funeral, President Andrew Johnson declared a national day of mourning. In Nashville, as in many cities throughout the nation, all businesses were closed. Today, we observe the ceremonies in response to national tragedies though multiple media devices available at our fingertips. In the 19th century each town and village had to respond in their own way. So, once again at 10:00 a.m., citizens and freedmen gathered, this time to watch a solemn funeral procession, conducted in absentia, wind its way through the city. At the head, an elaborate catafalque built in three tiers covered with black fabric was drawn by twelve horses and followed by an estimated 50,000 people. The procession went out Harding Pike to an open field where a platform had been erected for the speakers. The crowd gathered at the platform just as a burst of “forked lightning” shot thru the sky followed by the “low rumbling sound of Heaven’s artillery”.