Biltmore+Estate+Draft

//Introduction// Settled on a mountaintop in Ashville, North Carolina the infamous Biltmore Estate is an icon of beauty and majesty and serves as a beacon for the American Dream. Throughout its history the Biltmore has created a variety of intrigue and interest by its guests, tourists and workers as it embodies a multitude of iconic wealth and prosperity from its owners. Vanderbilt, a 25-yearold businessmen began this endeavor in 1890 and he opened the doors to the luxurious home at Christmas 1895 (Volk). During the late 1800s and early 1900s Vanderbilt and his family were an epicenter of intrigue and often times used as topics in articles and printed media as a form of entertainment to patrons. When the 30,000-acre estate was being constructed reporters made their way to the mountains of North Carolina to take part in the epic spectacle known as Biltmore. As the extravagant age of the nineteenth century dwindled and transitioned to an era of financial ruins, war, and death, for Mr. Vanderbilt, the extravagant home became a closed chapter in America’s history. As American’s made a transition from the cruel wars of Europe back to the foundational theme of the United States, The American Dream, there became rebirth to the cultural and influential dynamic that Biltmore and the Vanderbilts had. It is critical to understand why the Biltmore has such an underlying affect towards tourists and spectators alike during its conception as well as during present day. Through its history and amenities, the Biltmore Estate continues to intrigue reporters and spectators for over 100 years.

//History of the Biltmore// On a vacation in Western North Carolina, George Washington Vanderbilt and his mother Maria fell in love with the invigorating air and beauty that the mountains of North Carolina had to offer and began to initialize plans to build a summer home. During Vanderbilt’s initial purchasing of the acreage, that soon would be known as The Biltmore, the New York Times reported that prior to Vanderbilt being associated with the purchase the land was sold at a reasonable rate but quickly skyrocketed to $250 to $500 an acre (Vance). Vanderbilt commissioned architect Richard Moors Hunt and designer Frederick Law Omsted to aid him in the home’s construction and traveled throughout Europe, including Paris, to brainstorm ideas for his estate. Olmstead, the designer of Central Park, New York and designed the grounds of the World’ Fair in Chicago, and Richard Moors Hunt, a renowned architect, were give full authority to create an estate to such a scale that had never been seen in the United States before (Vance). The home was being constructed seven days a week for six years costing Vanderbilt $1000 a day (Vance). Vanderbilt, Olmsted and Hunt contemplated the name of the estate for quite some time as it provides a reputation that may surpass even the actual home itself. The Biltmore’s general manager Charles McNamee searched for an Indian name for the estate and designer Frederick Law Omstead agreed that an appropriate name, if indeed a traditional Indian name, must have, “… a suitable significance; at least a significance not provocative of punning, sarcasm or ridicule; should be sonorous; should fall trippingly from the tongue, and should not have been appropriated (Volk 97).

As the qualifications were out of reach the team began to look at an English name, which embodied characteristics of nature; the river, forest and ridge. The Broad and Bilton During its conception the Biltmore was heavily guarded by the request of the owner. L. J. Vance, a reporter from the New York Times documents his triumphant entry into the estate with the help of the general manager, Charles McNamee, of Vanderbilt’s. Vance states, “Through the courtesy of Mr. McNamee, we were provide with more than the usual facilities. We are also indebted to Mr. McNamee for pointing out those Places of interest on the estate which we Had traveled many miles to see (Vance).

As Vance and his crew mad their way from the town’s train station and up the mountain to the estate the red-clay roads were in a condition almost unsuitable to drive in because of heavy rains in previous days; the roads on the property, on the other hand, were as ‘smooth and hard as the drives in Central Park’ (Vance).

//Glamour of The Biltmore// The Biltmore Estate in itself is an embodiment of beauty and majesty and is worthy of all of the fame it has received. Because of this, along with a variety of other reasons, the Biltmore has remained an icon of extravagancies for its spectators. During its prime the Vanderbilts hosted lavish parties for the social elite to attend and often times it was the talk of the town. Chronicled in the New York Times, Mr. and Mrs. McK. Twonbly, Mr. and Mrs. Ernesto Fabbri, and Mrs. Elliott F. Shepard all spent their Christmas holiday at the lavish estate in December 1900 (What is Doing in Society). The paper stated, “Mr. Vanderbilt continues to interest himself in developing his Biltmore estate and a schoolhouse, hospital, and a score of cottages…” (What is Doing in Society). The home’s surroundings contribute to another one of the glamorous advantages Biltmore has to offer. The home’s original 180,000-acre estate provided for an oasis for the Vanderbilts and guests to get away from the gruesome city life of New York and other larger cities. Vanderbilt was even approached to offer an exclusive sportsmen club at the home due to its luscious forests full of game. Additionally, Vanderbilt assured that no hunting, or fishing had been done on his grounds for nearly ten years to ensure there was a lush array of wildlife and nature (Exclusive Sportsmen May Lease Biltmore). Vanderbilt also contributed to this by adding 200,000 rainbow trout to the French Broad River. As the Biltmore has developed from a family home into a tourist attraction the glamour and romance of the home continues to embody every room, garden and fountain on the property. Stemming from a tradition that the Vanderbilt family started, the Biltmore Estate is known for its immaculate candlelight Christmas evenings. In 1905, for example, the Vanderbilts provided a Christmas event for nearly a thousand children of the estate’s employees in the banquet hall of the estate. The children received gifts that were personally given out by the Vanderbilts, Whartons and Mrs. Ernesto Fabbri (Big Tree at Biltmore). The Biltmore brand has since continued to expand through its winery, home collection, including accessories, rugs, art and wall décor, bath and body, bedding, clocks, cookware and cutlery, custom frames, furniture, gourmet food, and lighting. Additionally, through its tours, a variety of rooms are opened and re and tours of the estate and its grounds. Additionally, the estate has broadened its ability to reach guests by providing developmental retreats for professionals, acting as a site for weddings, and vacation retreats (Biltmore.com).

//Conclusion// Throughout its construction the Biltmore Estate’s representation far exceeded any expectation there was of it. As Vanderbilt and his team began to design the home that would be soon known as one of America’s Castles, they investigated names, blueprints and architectural designs to ensure the home met all of the expectations the Vanderbilts had. The infamous estate gained a variety of press attention and was documented in numerous articles including that of the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. When the home’s construction was complete the mansion was transformed into a home for Mr. and Mrs. George Vanderbilt and their daughter. The vast forests, gardens, fountains and wildlife that surrounded the estate added to the grandeur and presence of the home and made it even more illustrious. After the great depression Mrs. Vanderbilt was approached by the city of Ashville, North Carolina to open the doors of the Biltmore to the public to boost the economy and moral of the citizens of Ashville and North Carolina. The Biltmore has created such a multitude of interest because of its correlation with the American Dream. Due to societies eagerness to become successful, spectators flock to the mountains to tour the site where one of the most successful men of American history lived. During the nineteenth and early twentieth century the association with the Biltmore was greatly associated with the Vanderbilt name but through present times the home is associated with prosperity, wealth, happiness and romance. Through the variety of amenities the estate has to offer in terms of tours, weddings, wine tastings and outdoors activities, the Biltmore Estate continues to bring in tourists and delight spectators and will continue to do so for years to come.