Weekend Getaway- Biltmore Estate

     Last weekend we went to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.  This 250-room house was completed in late 1895 after 6 years of construction.  Mr.George Washington Vanderbilt modeled the house on European castles and chateaux that he had seen in his travels on that continent.  In October of 1898, George Vanderbilt brought to his estate the thing it needed: a mistress, Edith Stuvyesant Dresser.  They had a daughter Cornelia in 1900.

     In 1914, Mr. Vanderbilt died unexpectantly.  The family had difficulty making ends meet after that, eventually selling 87,000 acres to the federal government that became part of Pisgah National Forest.  In 1924, Cornelia married the honorable John Cecil.  They had two sons, George and William.  William was the most instrumental in making the house the tourist destination it is today.

 

This statue on the outside of the staircase is of St. Louis the 9th.

This stautue is of Joan of Arc

The architectural detail is incredible!

From the windows and gardens you can see the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.

The Conservatory must house thousands of different plants.

We had a wonderful day, even though we didn't get home until 9 pm! We probably won't go back for a few years, but these kinds of outings make for wonderful memories.