Biltmore Estate

Biltmore Estate, estate in Asheville, North Carolina, that was built in the late 1800s as the summer home of George W. Vanderbilt. Its most notable feature is a French Renaissance mansion that is considered the largest private residence in the United States.

In the 1880s Vanderbilt, who belonged to one of the wealthiest families in the country, began acquiring land in Asheville, eventually obtaining some 125,000 acres (50,600 hectares). In 1889 work began on a palatial home designed by Richard Morris Hunt. It took six years to complete the 250-room residence, which had a floor area of some 4 acres (1.8 hectares). The mansion included 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, 34 bedrooms, and an indoor pool. In addition to a 10,000-volume library, the home also featured an extensive art and antiques collection.

The surrounding grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Especially notable was the three-mile lane leading to the mansion. Designed to convey that the estate was a retreat, it featured scenic views that included stands of bamboo, which Olmsted believed made visitors feel that they were “closer to the sun.” In addition to numerous gardens, the landscape architect also established the first managed forest in the United States on the estate. Vanderbilt hired Gifford Pinchot and later Carl Alwin Schenck as professional foresters, and in 1898 Schenck opened the country’s first forestry school there.

In 1914 Vanderbilt died, and the estate passed to his family. That year his wife sold some 87,000 acres (35,200 hectares) to the U.S. Forest Service, and by the early 21st century, the estate’s size had been reduced to approximately 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares). The mansion was first opened to the public in 1930, and it became a popular tourist attraction. By the early 21st century, more than one million people annually visited the estate, which included an inn and hotel as well as a small village that featured restaurants and various shops. In addition, in 1971 the Vanderbilts established a vineyard on the property. The Biltmore Estate was designated a national historic landmark in 1963, and three years later it was added to the U.S. National Registry of Historic Places.