George Vanderbilt inherited only a portion of his grandfather Cornelius' massive shipping and railroad fortune, but it was more than enough to build the Biltmore estate, a 250-room mansion, the largest privately owned home in the United States.
The house is a wonder of architecture and artistry, a marvel of elegance and charm, and a testament to the Vanderbilt hospitality. Our tour guides gave us a close and personal look at magnificent, 16th century tapestries, a banquet hall with a 70-foot ceiling, 65 fireplaces, an indoor pool, a bowling alley, and a collection of priceless art works demonstrating a cultivated taste for human achievement.
The estate's legacy extends well beyond luxury. George Vanderbilt seems to have had two goals for the estate: to conserve and promote the finest works of art and literature, and to run Biltmore as a self-sustaining estate. He took a great interest in horticulture and agriscience and oversaw experiments in scientific farming, animal breeding, and forestry. He hired Frederick Olmsted to design the grounds, and Olmsted would go on to become the father of landscape architecture. Olmsted recommended Gifford Pinchot to manage the forests on the estate, and Pinchot would go on to become the first chief of the United States Forest Service.
After his death, George's widow sold approximately 86,000 acres of the Biltmore property to the United States Forest Service, fulfilling her husband's wishes to create the core of Pisgah National Forest.
During World War II, the Vanderbilt heirs aided the war effort by allowing priceless treasures from the National Gallery of Art to be hidden at the estate and protected against possible attacks.
As a 21st century mom who cleans bathrooms and vacuums carpets, I approached the house questioning the need for so much scale in a single-family dwelling.
My heart began to soften the moment I walked through the front door and felt myself ministered to by the greenery of an indoor atrium. When I saw the 23,000 volumes in the library and heard the E.M. Skinner pipe organ playing in the banquet hall, I decided I should give wealth a try. After all, there were 80 servants quartered in the basement and on the fourth floor. They could handle the housework.
