Wednesday our Public History class ventured to Belmont Mansion to see the "behind the scenes" of a house museum. Much of the mansion has been restored to look as it did when it was first built and decorated by Adelicia Acklen in the 1850s and 1860s. The estate and home was later purchased by Ida Hood and Susan Heron who opened Belmont College for Young Ladies in 1890. The original Belmont later merged with Ward's Seminary (originally located downtown) to form Ward-Belmont College in 1913. Harpeth Hall opened in 1951 after Ward-Belmont was closed. Harpeth Hall represents Ward-Belmont's college preparatory division. The college was reopened by the TN Baptists Association in 1951, which is today's Belmont University. In our archives we have many pictures of students on the grand staircase as the mansion was the center of campus and many activities. The last picture is our visit to the Belmont University Archives located in the Lila D. Bunch Library, also on Belmont's campus. It was a great look at all that goes on "behind the velvet ropes."
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