Belle Grove Plantation, built between 1794 and 1797, was once the home of Revolutionary War veteran Major Isaac Hite, Jr. (President James Madison’s brother-in-law) and was the headquarters of General Philip Sheridan during the Battle of Cedar Creek. It is believed to be haunted by an apparition of a woman dressed in a black dress with a veil over her head. She has been seen standing in the window of the topmost room, and is believed to have been a former plantation resident.
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Geographic Information
- Address:
- 336 Belle Grove Rd
Middletown, VA 22645
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 39.020682, -78.303988
- County:
- Frederick County, Virginia
- Nearest Towns:
- Middletown, VA (1.3 mi.)
Strasburg, VA (3.7 mi.)
Stephens City, VA (6.3 mi.)
Toms Brook, VA (8.9 mi.)
Front Royal, VA (9.2 mi.)
Shenandoah Shores, VA (9.6 mi.)
Maurertown, VA (10.6 mi.)
Shawnee Land, VA (12.0 mi.)
Shenandoah Farms, VA (12.6 mi.)
Apple Mountain Lake, VA (12.8 mi.)
Contact Information
- Web:
- http://www.bellegrove.org/
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Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends.
This is so crazy. A few years ago we drove by at night and my husband had said he saw a woman in the window, of course when we backed up it was no longer there!
I have seen the woman in the window. She was wearing black but had no veil. She stared down at me just watching.
Many years ago a companion and myself had just discovered the existence of Cedar Creek Battlefield. Being Civil War enthusiasts, we decided to visit as soon as the weather broke. It was a late February day and we made the trek from PA to VA just to see the battlefield. When we arrived we discovered Belle Grove mansion on the backdrop of the battlefield and was eager to explore the grounds. Belle Grove was closed for tours but the gift shop was open. Before entering the shop, my companion, tired and weary from the day’s excursions, decided to rest on the mansion’s front stairway, while I decided to walk down toward the fence line and the battlefield. I snapped a few pictures and as I did so I could feel a presence behind me. Thinking it was my companion catching up, I turned to greet her but no one was there. I could see in the distance that she had not moved from the stairway. This feeling of ‘presence’ was still about me and I decided walk back to the mansion. As I did, I could distinctly hear, just to my right, the fast pace sound of a rustling heavy skirt, as if someone was curtly walking beside me. I often sense ‘spirit’ and I am often drawn to the paranormal. I could feel the ‘presence’ was a strong female personality. I sensed she was a large framed woman who was dressed in black…and she definitely did not care for the idea of me being there. Once I arrived back at the mansion, the ‘presence’ disappeared and I relayed my experience to my companion. We shrugged it off, as we often do and we decided to visit the gift shop, its entrance being directly under the staircase. As we approached the double doors I reached for the door knob and just as I was about to grab it, the door very slowly opened inward. No one was on the other side of the now opened door and we just looked at one another in amazement. No breeze or wind had come through the area, it was a very calm, still, springlike day. We walked into the gift shop and I could not shake the feeling that someone…who still was disliking my presence…was with us every step of our visit. After a brief walk through, we left without a purchase. As we headed back to the car, I was ‘picking up’ more disturbing feelings about the surrounding area and made a verbal note to my companion. We then headed for the battlefield visitor center which was then directly across the way from Belle Grove. In support of the battlefield foundation, I purchased a certificate pronouncing my ownership of a small portion of the battlefield. I also purchased a small booklet on the history of the mansion which told of the tragic events which occurred there. Nothing on my films showed any ‘ghostly’ images but what I experienced there was unforgettable.
My wife and I travel to Virginia quite often to visit family. When in Virginia, we travel to Civil War places etc. We had the privilege of coming to this place with other family members. While we were there, my wife and I walked around the place looking for things out of the ordinary. We didn’t see anything, but felt a heavy sense of sadness. This not the first time that we have felt such a sad feeling while visiting places such as these. i hope to come back and take more pictures as this is such a beautiful place/state.
I visited this place with my cousin and we had a great time. I say that because it was very peaceful and beautiful.I stood at the field, just staring and thinking about how it must have been during those times. I felt a sadness come over me as I stood there. It was like something wanted me to feel sad (if that makes any sense). I cannot explain it, but my cousin and I felt like we were being watched as we toured the plantation.I love this state as it is very beautiful.I highly recommend you come and visit as there are many places that ARE haunted.
So my mom was at a baby shower at belle grove plantation. The round wooden table that had the party favors on it just randomly flipped over. It couldn’t have been the wind because it was inside and the table was not flimsy.
I don’t normally write about these occurrences, but this one stands out. I took a tour of the house and did not feel anything out of the ordinary until I was in the master bedroom. It was a large group of people (at least 15), but I don’t think anyone else felt it. I was at the foot of the bed when I felt the floor under my feet give as if extra weight was added in that area. I then got a cold chill that ran up my legs and through my entire body. Looking around, no one else seemed affected. After the tour, I asked the guide if there ever were any ghost stories associated with the property and was informed of a brutal murder that took place later in the home’s history. In short, it involved a love triangle where the mistress was killed by the wife—that confirmed my “feeling” of the place.
There was this one time years ago close to the Christmas holidays I was speaking to one of the tour guides next to their Christmas tree about the rumor of a ghost at Belle Grove. As we spoke about it we witness the front door open by itself. Someone came and closed the door, while the two of us kept speaking about said rumor, when the front door open again. It was not windy that day and I heard the door latch when some one else closed the door. Maybe the lady was showing that she is no rumor or she didn’t like our talk and was asking me to leave. Who knows!