Belle Grove Plantation

Belle Grove is a National Historic Landmark set in Virginia's northern Shenandoah Valley near Middletown. Its Federal-style limestone Manor House, completed in 1797 for Isaac Hite Jr. and his wife Nelly Madison Hite (sister of President James Madison), reflects design principles associated with Thomas Jefferson and features intricate, hand-carved woodwork. The plantation grew from an original 483 acres to roughly 7,500 acres through the labor of enslaved workers, and during the Civil War the property served as Union General Philip Sheridan's headquarters at the center of the 1864 Battle of Cedar Creek. Today Belle Grove operates as a National Trust for Historic Preservation site and the centerpiece of the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, welcoming weddings, corporate gatherings, and private parties across several distinct settings. The Manor House hosts intimate ceremonies and receptions for up to 40 guests, the restored 1918 Beverley B. Shoemaker Welcome Center barn accommodates up to 150 guests with a catering kitchen and full handicap accessibility, and the 283-acre grounds offer gardens, lawns, and mountain views for outdoor ceremonies and tented receptions.