Bellevue Plantation, human settlement in Florida, United States of America
Bellevue Plantation is a simple house from the mid-1800s in Tallahassee, Florida, now displayed at the Tallahassee Museum. The building features white walls, a separate kitchen area, and is accompanied by reconstructed structures including a slave cabin and kitchen that document plantation life.
The house was built around 1840 as part of a cotton plantation and became home to Princess Catherine Murat from 1854 until her death in 1867. Her husband, Prince Achille Murat, came to Florida after Napoleon's exile and their marriage connected American and European history.
The house was named after Hotel de Belle-Vue in Brussels, which Catherine Murat and her husband knew during their time in Europe. This reflects the connection between American plantation life and European influences that shaped the family's identity.
The house is located at the Tallahassee Museum on Jackson Bluff Road and is open daily with shorter hours on Sundays. Visitors should allow enough time to explore the main house, kitchen, slave cabin, and other structures that all document important aspects of plantation history.
Catherine Murat was related to George Washington and later helped preserve Mount Vernon, his historic home, underscoring her role in saving American history. Her support for the southern cause during the Civil War led the French government to provide her financial compensation for her losses.
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