Belle Grove, Inc.

What Belle Grove, Inc. does

Belle Grove, Inc. is a Virginia-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates the 1797 Belle Grove Historic Plantation in Middletown, Virginia (Shenandoah Valley). The physical property is owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, while Belle Grove, Inc. manages museum operations, educational programming, event rentals, and a museum shop. The organization operates with a nine-person staff (Executive Director, Buildings and Grounds Manager, Outreach Coordinator, Festivals Coordinator, two Museum Shop Assistants, and a Building and Grounds Assistant) supplemented by volunteer docents and the Service League.

The core product set centers on guided tours of the Jeffersonian-inspired Manor House (priced at $6-$15 per visitor depending on category), school and group educational programs aligned with Virginia Standards of Learning, and tiered event rentals ranging from $250 meeting-room bookings up to $5,000 whole-site rentals accommodating 150 guests. The organization runs an active special-events calendar (Shenandoah Sips wine and spirits festival, Bluegrass in the Barn, Kris Kringle Market, holiday tours, and the Hite of Excellence Dinner Series). A membership program with seven tiers ($35-$2,500) underpins recurring revenue, and a museum shop sells books, Hite-family merchandise, and co-branded 'Belle Grove 1797 Whiskey' produced by Copper Fox Distillery under a licensing arrangement with royalty returns. The digital layer is anchored by 'Virtual Belle Grove' (virtual.bellegrove.org), which hosts online history exhibits (Jackson Family, Ann Tunstall Maury Hite, Mary Briscoe Baldwin, the 'Sixty Slaves for Sale' research, and the Attic Graffiti documentation of 557+ signatures).

Belle Grove, Inc. is self-supporting — it explicitly states it receives no regular funding from town, county, state, or federal government — generating income from admissions, memberships, events, shop sales, grants (National Endowment for the Humanities, National Trust, American Woodmark Foundation, Bowman Charitable Trust, Crescent Cities Charities), contributions, and licensing royalties. Its customer base spans K-12 schools (3,320+ students served in a single October 2015 period), wedding and corporate event clients, festival attendees (1,000+ at Shenandoah Sips; ~5,000 at Kris Kringle Market over seven years), general tourists drawn via its NPS partner-site status in the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, and a smaller cohort of researchers and genealogists using the virtual exhibits.

Name

Belle Grove, Inc.

Legal name

Belle Grove, Inc.

Website

https://bellegrove.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1797

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Belle Grove, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that operates the 1797 National Historic Landmark Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, Virginia, delivering guided tours, K-12 school programs, weddings, corporate events, and a festival calendar, supported by memberships, a museum shop, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Site Museum and Cultural Heritage Tourism

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (712120), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAI

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYBPAGAHAA

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAHAE

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAIAMAH

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

Keywords

• Historic site museum
• Guided plantation tours
• Educational school programs
• Wedding event venue
• Cultural heritage preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Middletown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Museum Admissions: Revenue from guided tours of the Manor House and grounds. Tour pricing varies by visitor category (adults, seniors, students, military).
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership program with multiple tiers (Individual $35-$40, Family $40-$50, Hite Society $100, Hunnewell Society $250, President's Society $500, Heritage Society $1,000, Madison Society $2,500) providing free admission, discounts, and exclusive benefits.
3. Museum Shop Sales: Retail sales of books, historical items, crafts, and Belle Grove merchandise including guidebooks, family history books, whiskey, mugs, and notecards.
4. Event Rentals: Venue rentals for weddings, corporate events, and parties. Pricing ranges from $250 (meeting room) to $5,000 (entire site). Includes non-profit rates.
5. Special Event Tickets: Revenue from ticketed events including Shenandoah Sips festival ($35-$40), Bluegrass in the Barn ($35), dinner series events ($35-$75), and holiday tours.
6. Donations and Grants: Individual, foundation, and corporate donations. Also receives support from National Endowment for the Humanities, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Crescent Cities Charities. No regular government funding.
7. Licensing Royalties: Belle Grove 1797 Whiskey and Spirits produced by Copper Fox Distillery with portion of proceeds benefiting Belle Grove.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Belle Grove, Inc. operates the 1797 Belle Grove Historic Plantation in Middletown, Virginia as a National Historic Landmark museum, offering guided tours of the Manor House and grounds, K-12 educational programs aligned with Virginia Standards of Learning, specialty and group tours, wedding and corporate event venue rentals, a museum shop, an annual calendar of festivals and special events, a multi-tier membership program, and a Virtual Belle Grove digital exhibit platform. The organization is a self-supporting 501(c)(3) non-profit that draws on admissions, memberships, events, shop sales, donations, and grants to fund historic preservation and public education.

Product overview

Belle Grove, Inc. operates a multi-faceted historic preservation and education enterprise centered on the 1797 Belle Grove Historic Plantation in Middletown, Virginia. The organization offers a portfolio of tour products including guided Manor House tours, school educational programs ("Discover Your Past"), and specialty/group tours. Event services encompass wedding rentals, party and corporate event venues across the Welcome Center, Manor House, and outdoor grounds. The enterprise includes an on-site Museum Shop selling historical merchandise and publications, a calendar of special events (Bluegrass in the Barn, Shenandoah Sips, holiday tours), and a digital platform "Virtual Belle Grove" offering online exhibits and educational resources. A membership program with multiple tiers provides benefits to supporters. All offerings support the non-profit's preservation and education mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Manor House Guided Tours Guided tours of the 1797 Jeffersonian-inspired Manor House led by expert volunteer docents, lasting approximately one hour with a 12-guest limit. Tours cover the history, architecture, free and enslaved inhabitants, and the plantation's role in the Civil War.
• School Tours (Discover Your Past) Educational programs for K-12 students using hands-on activities aligned with Virginia Standards of Learning. Includes tours of the Manor House, Winter Kitchen, archaeology exhibit, and historic landscape.
• Specialty and Group Tours Customized tours for groups of 12 or more, including Classic Manor House Tours ($13/person), Afternoon Tea Tours ($40/person), Civil War Tours ($13/person), and specialty programs with refreshment add-ons.
• Wedding and Event Rentals Venue rentals for weddings, receptions, ceremonies, and special events. Includes the Beverley B. Shoemaker Welcome Center (capacity up to 150), Manor House (capacity up to 40), and outdoor tented receptions on grounds.
• Party and Corporate Event Rentals Rental options for corporate events, meetings, showers, and parties ranging from 20 to 150 guests. Includes Welcome Center and Manor House spaces with various pricing tiers and non-profit rates.
• Museum Shop Online and on-site retail store featuring books about Shenandoah Valley history, Belle Grove merchandise, cross-stitch patterns, Hite family items, and historical publications including the 'Letters from Belle Grove' series.
• Special Events Program Annual calendar of special events including Bluegrass in the Barn ($35), Shenandoah Sips wine and spirits festival ($35-$40), Kris Kringle Market ($5 adult early shoppers), holiday tours, and the Hite of Excellence Series of Sumptuous Feasts ($35-$75).
• Virtual Belle Grove Digital history exhibits and online programs featuring the Jackson Family exhibit, Abba exhibit, Ann Tunstall Maury Hite exhibit, Mary Briscoe Baldwin exhibit, and video recordings of presentations. Includes virtual tours and educational resources.
• Nature's Expressions Classes and Workshops Educational classes exploring the natural world including gourd birdhouse workshops, basketmaking, soap making, plein air painting, and seasonal floral arrangement classes. Pricing ranges from $35 to $75 per class.
• Membership Program Multi-tier membership program with benefits including free admission, shop discounts, event discounts, and exclusive access. Tiers include Individual ($35), Family ($40), Combination Individual ($40), Hite Society ($100), Hunnewell Society ($250), President's Society ($500), Heritage Society ($1,000), and Madison Society ($2,500).

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Copper Fox DistillerycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2013Produces Belle Grove 1797 Whiskey and Spirits using Virginia grains and methods reminiscent of 18th-19th century distilling. Available at Copper Fox, Virginia ABC stores, and online. Portion of proceeds benefit Belle Grove.
• National Trust for Historic PreservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Trust owns the Belle Grove property. The Trust does not provide regular annual financial support but collaborates on preservation and provides access to resources and network of historic sites.
• National Park Service (Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelle Grove is a partner site in the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. The NPS does not provide regular annual financial support but collaborates on interpretation and visitor services.
• iHeartMediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for Shenandoah Sips festival. Radio stations Q102, 993thefox, and Kiss983 provide advertising and promotion.
• Laurel Ridge Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for 2024 conference marking 200th anniversary of the 1824 Sixty Slaves for Sale, providing educational opportunity.
• Frederick Block Brick and StoneminorOthersDonated materials for Plantation Office and Store restoration project.
• Cochran's LumberminorOthersDonated reclaimed antique pine boards for panel wall reconstruction in Plantation Office and Store.
• Garden Club of VirginiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigned and donated Belle Grove's Teaching Garden demonstrating 19th century plant cultivation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tudor Place: Historic house museum in Washington, D.C. operated as a non-profit with guided tours, gardens, special events, weddings, and membership programming. Comparable at a similar small-staff scale to Belle Grove in operating model and product mix.
• Oatlands Historic House and Gardens: Federal-era estate in Leesburg, Virginia operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Directly comparable as an NTHP-affiliated historic house with tours, garden programming, weddings, and special events in the same regional Virginia market.
• Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House: National Trust historic site in Alexandria, Virginia featuring a historic house museum with tours, educational programming, and event rentals. Directly comparable NTHP-affiliated historic property in the Virginia market with a similar operating-scale profile.
• Kenmore Plantation and Fielding Lewis Memorial Shop: Fielding Lewis's 18th-century home in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Comparable as a Virginia historic house museum offering guided tours, decorative-arts programming, and field-trip education aligned to Virginia history curriculum, with similar small-staff non-profit operating structure.
• Mount Vernon: George Washington's Virginia estate and the gold-standard comparable for a historic house museum operation: tours, education, event rentals, retail, membership, and licensing. Operates at materially larger scale but uses the same diversified-revenue preservation model as Belle Grove.
• Stratford Hall: Lee family plantation on Virginia's Northern Neck. Closely comparable as a National Historic Landmark historic house museum with guided tours, school programs, weddings, and slavery-interpretation initiatives, operated by a non-profit on property held by a preservation entity.
• Historic Jamestowne (Preservation Virginia): Preservation Virginia-operated historic site at Jamestown, Virginia with archaeological exhibits, educational programming, and visitor interpretation. Comparable as a Virginia-based historic site operator with tours, archaeology-led content, and education-focused visitor experience.
• James Madison's Montpelier: James Madison's estate in Orange, Virginia — directly comparable as the home of President James Madison (sister Nelly Madison Hite married into Belle Grove's founding family). Operates as a National Historic Landmark with tours, education, archaeology, slavery interpretation, and event rentals.
• Monticello: Thomas Jefferson's home and plantation in Charlottesville, Virginia. Most direct comparable: a National Historic Landmark plantation house museum with similar tour, education, and event-revenue model, plus deep slavery-interpretation programming and a substantially larger operating scale.
• Colonial Williamsburg: Living-history museum complex in Williamsburg, Virginia. Direct peer in colonial/early-American historic site interpretation with ticketed tours, educational programming, retail, lodging, and event spaces; operates at significantly larger scale but follows the same heritage-tourism revenue model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BelleGrove1797
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BelleGroveplantationmiddle8305
• Facebookfacebook.com/bellegrove
• Instagraminstagram.com/BelleGrove1797
• Pinterestpinterest.com/BGPlantation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/belle-grove-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Belle Grove, Inc.