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Exploring The Biltmore Estate In Ashefield, North Carolina Part 3
By admin | April 1, 2008
This is Part 3 of a series of articles. Visiting the Biltmore Estate in Ashefield, North Carolina is a fun and educational trip for the entire family.
A brief history of the Biltmore Estate
Why name the estate Biltmore? George Vanderbilt named the estate. The name is actually derived by combining two words: “Bildt,” the region in Holland where the Vanderbilt family originated, and “more,” and old English word that means upland rolling hills.
The Biltmore house covers 4 acres, which totals 175,000 square feet and consists of 250 rooms that include 35 guest and family rooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces and three kitchens. Noone has lived in the Biltmore house since the 1950s. Guests and/or visitors to the Biltmore Estate cannot stay in the house. However, you can enjoy a stay at the Vanderbilt-inspired hospitality at the Inn on Biltmore Estate.
Richard Morris Hunt, architect, designed America’s largest home, the Biltmore House. Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of landscape architecture in America, designed all the surrounding acres of formal and informal gardens. The Biltmore House is a National Historic Landmark.
The Biltmore House construction began in 1889. It is comprised of tons of Indiana limestone that was transported by a special railway spur built specifically to bring the massive amounts of material and supplies to the Biltmore construction site. There were hundreds of workers at the site working for more than six years to complete the Biltmore House. It was first opened on Christmas Eve 1895. Mr. Vanderbilt officially opened his doors for the first time to friends and family while displaying the Vanderbilt family’s original collection of furnishings, arts and antiques. Today, the Biltmore House remains much the same as it was in the early 21st century.
The actual owner of the Biltmore House is all Vanderbilt family. George and Edith Vanderbilt had one child whose name was Cornelia. Cornelia married Britist diplomat John Francis Amherst Cecil in 1924. They had two sons, William A.V. Cecil, Biltmore Estate’s owner, and his son Bill Cecil, Jr., is chief executive officer of the Biltmore Company. The Biltmore Company includes Biltmore House, Gardens, Winery and River Bend Farm, Inn on Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Estate Wine Company, and Biltmore licensed products.
Biltmore House as we know it today was opened at the request of Asheville city officials in the hopes it would attract tourists in the area during the Depression. Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil, the only child of George and Edith Vanderbilt, and her husband John Amherst Cecil opened Biltmore to the public in 1930.
Now….back to all the fun and educational activities at the Biltmore Estate…..
The Biltmore House has an 8,000 acre backyard. Outdoor activities include:
• Carriage Rides
• Horseback Riding
• River Float Trips
• Biking
• Hiking
• Segway Tours
• Sporting Clays
• Fly-Fishing School
• Land Rover Driving School
All Biltmore Estate outdoor activities are available by reservation to daytime guests, Biltmore Twelve-Month Pass holders, and Inn on Biltmore Estate guests.
Continued in Part 4
Important Disclaimer: The web site address listed in the resource box of this article is not associated with the Biltmore Estate or any of its employees. This article and the web site are for information purposes only.
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.
© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved
Written by: Connie Limon. For more information about planning a trip to the Biltmore Estate visit http://smalldogs2.com/BiltmoreEstateTripPlan For a variety of FREE reprint articles and special sections of other topics visit Camelot Articles at http://www.camelotarticles.com
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