The Biltmore House in Asheville,
North Carolina is a very large estate with great history. Construction of the
Biltmore began in 1889 and took over six years to build the French Renaissance
chateau, making it the largest undertaking of residential architecture. George
Vanderbilt had this house built for his family when he moved to North Carolina
from New York in 1888. George was the grandson of the famous industrialist
Cornelius Vanderbilt, so he had the reputation and resources to take on a large
project like this. On Christmas Eve 1895 George and his family were able to
move into the house that had over four acres of floor space with 35 bedrooms,
43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.
George
married Edith Stuyvesant Dresser in 1889 and had a little girl, Cornelia in
1900. Additions were beginning to appear around the house at this time too that
included a dairy barn and horse barn. The horse barn served as both a social
and agricultural network at the estate for farmers and other workers there and
still remains a unique part of the estates history. In 1930 Cornelia opened the
house to the public. The people of Asheville hoped this would increase tourism
during the tough times of the Depression. During WWII, in 1942 the house is
used to store art from the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. to
prevent any of the art from being damaged or stolen.
Now the
house is a great get-away and tourist attraction where people can visit for
tours and programs at the estate, participate in wine tasting, visit the
gardens, and experience outdoor recreational activities hosted by the Biltmore.
Visitors can also stay at the Biltmore Inn located minutes from the house and
can visit the Antler village located next to the Biltmore Estate to do
shopping, dine out, have a spa day, or take in the local sites. The Biltmore is
also known today for its success in environmental stewardship with its use of
solar panels and tree protection project.
No comments:
Post a Comment