Celebrating 100 years of Pisgah Forest Posted on March 4, 2014 at 12:00 am.Written by Ellie Garst May 2014 marked a significant milestone for both Biltmore and Pisgah National Forest: the 100th anniversary of Edith Vanderbilt selling part of the estate to the U.S. government to create the first national forest east of the Mississippi River. George Vanderbilt acquired Pisgah Forest under the direction of his forest manager, Gifford Pinchot, as part of his land holdings which eventually totaled 125,000 acres. Pinchot, who later served as the first chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, developed a forest management plan for the property. In 1895, Dr. Carl A. Schenck succeeded Pinchot, and continued and expanded the plan over the next 14 years. Dr. Schenck founded the Biltmore Forest School—the first school of forestry in the U.S.—graduating more than 300 of the nation’s first professionally-trained foresters. While the Vanderbilts originally had offered to sell 86,000 acres of Pisgah Forest in 1913, the offer was rejected. After her husband’s death in March 1914, Edith Vanderbilt resumed negotiations with the Secretary of Agriculture, David Franklin Houston. Cradle of Forestry In her May 1 letter, she stated her family’s interest in preserving the property: “Mr. Vanderbilt was the first of the large forest owners in America to adopt the practice of forestry. He has conserved Pisgah Forest from the time he bought it up to his death, a period of nearly twenty five years, under the firm conviction that every forest owner owes it to those who follow him, to hand down his forest property to them unimpaired by wasteful use. I keenly sympathize with his belief that the private ownership of forest land is a public trust, and I probably realize more keenly than any one else can do, how firm was his resolve never to permit injury to the permanent value and usefulness of Pisgah Forest. I wish earnestly to make such disposition of Pisgah Forest as will maintain in the fullest and most permanent way its national value as an object lesson in forestry, as well as its wonderful beauty and charm; and I realize that its ownership by the Nation will alone make its preservation permanent and certain… I make this contribution towards the public ownership of Pisgah Forest with the earnest hope that in this way I may help to perpetuate my husband’s pioneer work in forest conservation, and to insure the protection and use and enjoyment of Pisgah Forest as a National Forest, by the American people for all time…. In the event that my offer is accepted, I shall be glad for the Government to assume control of Pisgah Forest as soon as it may desire. In the same event, it would be a source of very keen gratification to me if the tract retained, as a national Forest, the title of “Pisgah Forest”, which my late husband gave it.”Very truly yours,Edith S. Vanderbilt Pisgah National Forest was dedicated to the memory of George Vanderbilt in a 1920 public ceremony attended by Edith Vanderbilt and her daughter Cornelia, N.C. Governor Locke Craig, and George S. Powell, secretary of the Appalachian Park Association. Today, the Cradle of Forestry is a 6,500-acre Historic Site within Pisgah National Forest, set aside to commemorate the beginning of forestry conservation in America and the lasting contributions of George Vanderbilt, Gifford Pinchot, and Dr. Carl Schenck. Visit Biltmore today Make plans now to visit George Vanderbilt’s magnificent estate and see the results of managed forestry for yourself.
The Presence of a President Posted on February 17, 2014 at 12:00 am.Written by Coleman Minter Biltmore has had the privilege to welcome many notable people through this grand Entrance Hall, but the presence of a president has always been a rare honor. In recognition of Presidents’ Day, we are remembering those special guests. President George Washington could not have visited Biltmore in person, but we were honored to serve as a temporary home for his well-known portrait. The painting was stored here by the National Gallery of Art during World War II. The unfinished Music Room on the first floor of Biltmore House was refitted with a steel door, bars on the windows, and other protective measures outlined by the gallery staff. On January 8, 1942, 62 paintings (including the portrait of George Washington) and 17 sculptures arrived in Asheville under heavy guard. The iconic portrait was painted by Gilbert Stuart, an 18th century America’s master portrait artist. In his five-decade career, he produced well over 1100 pictures. Of these portraits, nearly one-tenth are images of George Washington, to whom he was introduced by their mutual friend Chief Justice John Jay. It is interesting to note that each of Stuart’s portraits of Washington, about 100 in all, is based on one of three life portraits of the president. Happy Birthday Mr. President. President William McKinley, Jr. visited Biltmore Estate on June 14, 1897. George Vanderbilt was in Europe at the time and Estate Superintendent Charles McNamee was in London, so Butler Walter Harvey gave President McKinley and his entourage a tour of Biltmore House. President Theodore Roosevelt visited Biltmore Estate on September 9, 1902. President Roosevelt met Dr. Carl Schenck, the German forester Mr. Vanderbilt had hired to oversee the Biltmore forestry operation. He also took a drive across the estate, toured the gardens, and toured the Main Dairy Barn where our Winery is now located. President Jimmy Carter attended a fundraising dinner on September 22, 1978 at the Deerpark pavilion on Biltmore Estate and spoke to a crowd of approximately 300 guests. Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan visited Biltmore in early May 1980 as part of a multi-city visit to North Carolina. Rick King, former vice president of Biltmore House, gave Reagan and his wife Nancy a tour of the home. Reagan went on to win the presidential election in November 1980. President and Mrs. Barack Obama visited on April 24, 2010 while on a trip to Asheville and were greeted by the Cecil family for a tour of Biltmore House.
A Birthday for Edith Vanderbilt Posted on January 17, 2014 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux In honor of the 141st anniversary of Edith Vanderbilt’s birthday, we have been reflecting back on the festive days surrounding her arrival at Biltmore in 1898. Since George Vanderbilt had mainly courted Edith Stuyvesant Dresser abroad, estate managers and employees were filled with curiosity about the future Mrs. Vanderbilt. The Vanderbilts were married in a relatively simple ceremony in Paris in June. While George and Edith were on an extended honeymoon in Europe, the estate made preparations for a celebration befitting a queen. What would their first impressions be? No one was quite sure what to expect. When the newlyweds’ train arrived at the passenger depot in Biltmore Village, curious onlookers, civil authorities, and hordes of media watched on as Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt boarded a carriage bound for their future home. Biltmore’s Chief Forester, Dr. Carl Alwin Schenck, shared a vivid description of this momentous occasion in his book Birth of Forestry in America: “The young couple, our lord and his lady, arrived on a gorgeous afternoon and were welcomed by the officials of the estate at a huge horseshoe of flowers overarching the approach road to Biltmore House. All was cheers and smiles and happiness! Mrs. Vanderbilt! One could not help but love her! Her face…was sparkling with kindness, sweetness, lovability, grace, and womanliness.” After passing under this emblem of good luck, the Vanderbilts were greeted by estate employees and their families lining both sides of the road. Following an English baronial tradition, each worker held a symbol of his trade and the children joined in welcoming Edith to her new home. The sheer number of estate employees must have been overwhelming, but there were still many more surprises in store for Mrs. Vanderbilt. A lengthy article from the Asheville Daily Citizen detailed the celebrations once the party had reached Biltmore House: At night the employees continued the festivities… Shortly after 9 o’clock the men met north of the esplanade and Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt viewed the scene from the roof balcony over the main entrance to Biltmore House. The Biltmore band, stationed in the tea garden at the top of the vista began an inspiring march, and the men with torches moved in converging lines…to the winding steps of the rampe douce, where the march continued in crossing belts of fire…Suddenly their appeared a glow of light on the ridges of the deer park and within a brief period there was a brilliant illumination of the grounds by colored arc, extending to the lake and through the shrubbery of the winding roads and walks. The finale of the illumination came in showers of flaming stars from fireworks that exploded in different points surrounding the mansion. On Pisgah and other prominent peaks of the estate huge bonfires were lighted and beamed their welcome. Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt evinced great interest in the event of the evening and frequently applauded the hearty endeavors of the men who were showing their good will to the bride. At the conclusion of the illumination and until past midnight the employees enjoyed refreshments in the open before the conservatory. Dr. Schenck’s memoir makes it clear that the employees offered Edith a grand welcome not only onto estate, but into their lives. Schenck wrote: “…Mrs. Vanderbilt took a personal interest in every man and woman connected with the estate. … she went to every humble cabin of a forest worker in Pisgah Forest when she was near it; she encouraged the small home industries… at Christmas she had a small gift for every child of every employee of the estate; and whatever she did or said, she did or said so gracefully that she put at ease whomever she met.” Mrs. Vanderbilt’s long legacy of grace and heartfelt hospitality is still very much alive at Biltmore. What fun it has been to look back at first impressions, grand celebrations, and the cherished memories of such a special woman who helped to shape and preserve the estate. Happy Birthday, Edith!
A Vanderbilt Christmas Posted on December 17, 2013 at 12:00 am.Written by Coleman Minter Biltmore’s archives are full of letters and documents detailing the lives of George and Edith Vanderbilt, their daughter, Cornelia, and many of their friends and family members who visited them at Biltmore. Below are some of the Vanderbilts’ yuletide traditions…and even a glimpse of the food they enjoyed during the holidays. How did our Christmas tradition begin? Although George Vanderbilt moved into Biltmore House in October 1895, the house did not officially open to guests until Christmas Eve of that year. Great efforts were made to ensure all (or most!) would be ready by this special day. Mr. Vanderbilt was still a bachelor during the first Biltmore Christmas and his mother, Maria Louisa, presided as hostess. Correspondence between Mr. Vanderbilt and his staff indicates that planning was intensive and no detail was left unattended. Managers debated which nearby county had the best holly and the most desirable mistletoe, while staff scouted for the perfect candidate for the Banquet Hall Christmas tree. Mr. Chauncey Beadle, estate horticulturalist, writes estate manager, Mr. Charles McNamee: “I quite agree with you that we should have a very large tree for this occasion; in fact, I think a twenty foot tree in that large Banquet Hall would be rather dwarfed.” When Mr. Vanderbilt’s mother, several of his brothers and sisters and their spouses, and assorted nieces and nephews arrived, they were greeted in the Banquet Hall by a splendidly tall tree laden with gifts for estate workers. At the foot of the tree was a table piled high with family gifts. Because of this, the Banquet Hall has always been the focal point for Christmas celebrations in Biltmore House. A Family Gathering The family and guests gathered around the 40-foot Banquet Hall table for elaborate dinners served both evenings. Mr. Vanderbilt’s niece Gertrude kept a series of Dinner Books in which she recorded the seating arrangements of all of the parties and dinners she attended as a young woman, and she was one of the guests at the first Christmas dinner in Biltmore House. Gertrude kept two Dinner Books in 1895, and the Christmas meal at Biltmore House was the 193rd formal dinner that she attended that year. In her diagram of the dinner, she listed 27 Vanderbilt family members. It was said to be the largest gathering of the family since the death of William Henry Vanderbilt, George’s father, in 1885. In addition to the grand meals and festive décor, stockings hung on mantles, plum puddings and mince pies were served, and George’s mother read “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” to the children. It must have been a grand time — one article even stated that the family exchanged gilded and jeweled Christmas cards! Christmas and New Year’s meals in Biltmore House, 1904 In 1904, George and Edith Vanderbilt were raising their 4-year-old daughter, Cornelia, in Biltmore House. The 1904 Menu Book, kept by cook Esther Anderson, contains luncheon and dinner menus for Christmas Day and New Years Day. Surprisingly, they are not the most elaborate meals included in the book. The 1904 Christmas Day luncheon featured a fairly light menu that began with clear broth, followed by broiled oysters. The Christmas Day luncheon entrée consisted of venison steak (very likely from the estate deer herd), served with string beans, potatoes and cauliflower. The salad course consisted of roast partridge and salad. Luncheon dessert consisted of apple tart, not surprising, since estate orchards produced over twenty varieties of apples. Coffee followed dessert and served as a separated course. Christmas dinner began with Consommé Royale, a clear chicken broth thickened with tapioca and served with a savory garnish made from bullion, egg and herbs, poached in buttered molds, floating in the broth. A fish course of broiled Spanish mackerel accompanied by cucumber salad came next. The main course featured roast turkey and cranberries, served with potatoes, peas and celery. The Vanderbilts ate turkey in one form or another on average every three days. Mrs. Doris Johnson, whose daughter-in-law, Ellen, was a Biltmore House cook at the turn of the century, recalled that turkey and dressing were Mr. Vanderbilt’s favorite of all the things Ellen cooked, and it is very likely that turkey was indeed one of Mr. Vanderbilt’s favorite foods. A salad of Virginia ham and spinach followed. Christmas dessert consisted of plum pudding, ice cream and cake. The New Years Eve luncheon began with fish cutlets, followed by braised rabbits and lamb chops served with potatoes, beets and stuffed tomatoes. Chicken salad followed, and dessert consisted of apple tapioca pudding, followed by coffee. New Years Eve dinner began with either purée of chickens or consommé, followed by the fish course consisting of mousse of bass. The mousse was followed by an entrée of mushroom patties, and a relevé consisting of filets of beef with potatoes, spinach and baked macaroni. Roast partridge accompanied the salad. New Years Eve dessert was Fanchonette, an “old-fashioned French cake, somewhat like a pie made with rough puff pastry and a pastry cream filling baked in a slow oven. After cooling, it is piped with meringue, sprinkled with sugar and baked until brown. Coffee followed dessert, and midnight toasts no doubt welcomed the New Year!
The Right Desk For Writing Posted on December 14, 2013 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Edith Vanderbilt's younger sister Pauline was both an avid letter writer and a frequent visitor to Biltmore. Pauline’s letters to friends describe the time she spent at Biltmore in glowing detail, giving us wonderful word pictures of the gracious lifestyle enjoyed by the Vanderbilts and their guests. In one 1905 letter, Pauline describes an afternoon at Biltmore this way: “I go out, either driving or walking or sauntering down with the children to feed the swans or settle on the library terrace with lots of books and read and read and read. The air is soft and warm, the hills change colour continually, there is no noise, no friction, no jar.” With its flowing curves and handsome detailing, our elegant Pauline Writing Desk honors Pauline Merrill’s passion for the written word. Classic styling makes it a welcome addition to any room and we believe it will inspire your own writing for years to come. Click here to learn more about this beautiful desk for your home. Click here to read Pauline’s letter in full.
Eugenia and Her Ornaments Posted on December 2, 2013 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux We are fortunate to have treasured stories from people who lived, worked or visited Biltmore throughout our history. These colorful recollections give us real clues to what life was like at the estate. They also serve as the foundation of stories we share with guests who visit us today. Eugenia Hallyburton Chandler shared one recollection of being a child on the estate at Christmas. Her story illustrates both her love of the beautiful holiday decorations and the candor of her youth! For the youngest members of the estate, treats like special sweets, clothing, games and toys were standard gifts. Eugenia recalled the Christmas parties in the Banquet Hall; where there were “mounds of oranges . . . and this beautiful Christmas tree and I know they had gifts for all the kids.” One year Eugenia was given paper dolls as a gift from Edith Vanderbilt. And as children sometimes will do, she honestly replied that she didn’t like them and asked Edith to give them to someone else. We have all wondered if that comment caught Edith by surprise, but Eugenia recalls she said “Well, Eugenia, what would you like?” Eugenia replied, “That ball, right up there.” Pointing to the tree, she had her eyes set on a colorful, shiny glass ball hanging from the tree branches. Quotes like this next one tell us so much about the personality of Edith Vanderbilt. Eugenia remembered, “she called in Donohue [the butler] and she stripped that tree and gave those balls to the children. She knew what they liked. Every time she went on a trip and came back after that, she would bring me some Christmas balls.” Our design team enjoys remembering Eugenia and her beloved Christmas ornaments when they decorate the Banquet Hall tree each year. The team hangs hundreds of colorful balls on trees in the house, some inspired by the ones that Edith may have presented to the children. When she became an adult, Eugenia displayed her beloved collection in her home every year until an accident one holiday season. “I had some of the prettiest ones you ever saw until my cat pulled the tree over in the foyer and broke them all,” she shared. While her story has a bit of a sad ending, we so enjoyed hearing about Eugenia’s fond Christmas memories of Biltmore and her ornaments.
A Father’s Love Posted on June 13, 2013 at 12:00 am.Written by Danielle Withrow George Vanderbilt as a Father Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the unique bond between fathers and children, and here at Biltmore we’re revisiting some of our favorite moments that George Vanderbilt and his daughter, Cornelia, shared over the years. George was in awe of Cornelia as a baby, as we can see in the main photo. Here he’s holding her on the Loggia a month after her birth in 1900. The tender and bemused look on his face says it all! As Cornelia grew, she began to travel with George and her mother, Edith, on their many voyages to Europe and around the United States. In the photo above, Cornelia wears a sporty traveling outfit as they sit on the deck of a boat, cozy in blankets, as sea companions. Back at home at Biltmore, George accompanied Cornelia out to splash in the fountain on the Esplanade one summer day. He remained dressed, as dapper as ever, while Cornelia was ready to swim in a cap and bathrobe. George was a loving father, and he and Cornelia enjoyed many adventures together. We hope that you and your family have a great Father’s Day. Celebrate Father’s Day at Biltmore If you’re in the neighborhood this Sunday, all dads receive free admission on Father’s Day with the purchase of a youth or adult ticket at the Reception & Ticketing Sales Center. See all admission ticket specials.
A Unique Pair of Hounds Posted on April 28, 2013 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Dogs are often called “man’s best friend,” and with good reason. Dogs are always happy to see you, glad to spend time with you, and eager to be by your side. Our partner Unique Stone has captured the faithful spirit of the dog with a lifelike interpretation of canine devotion in their Biltmore Stoneybrook Hounds Collection. Each realistic hound statue features the soulful expressions and stance of man’s best friend at his finest. Stoneybrook Hound with Bird waits attentively for the praise that accompanies his fine birding and retrieval skills (above, left) Stoneybrook Hound with Collar is relaxed, caught in a playful moment with his collar between his front paws (above, right) Each Stoneybrook Hound statue is approximately 35 inches in height and weighs around 300 pounds. Place this sturdy pair of sentinels at the entrance to your home or property, or use them to highlight your lawn, patio, or garden. (Each hound sold separately.) Unique Stone creates all their statuary with a subtle finish that gives an aged and weathered appearance. Find the Stoneybrook Hounds here. Biltmore’s Canine History The Vanderbilts had many pets including a Borzoi and Cedric, a smooth-coated Saint Bernard whose likeness graces Cedric’s Tavern today. George Vanderbilt also maintained a kennel of Collies before his death in 1914, and Cornelia Vanderbilt developed a kennel of Llewellin Setters in 1921. After Cornelia married the Honorable John Amherst Francis Cecil in 1925, the Biltmore Kennels invested in the Saluki Gazelle Hound—a sight hound known for its beauty, speed, and endurance. After the Biltmore Kennels closed, John and Cornelia kept one Saluki named Haffief as a pet. The Stoneybrook Hounds resemble the grace and style of this handsome hound who made America’s largest home his home, as well.
George Vanderbilt: Book Lover Posted on February 27, 2013 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Currently on display, now through May, in the exhibit case in the lobby of the Inn on Biltmore Estate is a collection of books from George Vanderbilt’s time and a look at his reading habits. George collected many fine things, including a personal library of 22,784 books that he selected with care, and treasured throughout his life. From the age of 12 until his untimely death at 51, George was an ardent reader and appreciator of literature. We know so much about his reading habits today because he kept meticulous records of all the books he read in a series of journals called “Books I Have Read.” In addition, he kept an index in a separate journal, with an alphabetical listing of titles by author and the dates that he read them. We can’t answer who George’s favorite author was, but his journals give us a few clues. George seems to have enjoyed Charles Dickens’ work. Included in the 30 listed titles by Dickens are two mentions of “The Pickwick Papers,” which George read at age 13, and again when he was 25. We also know that he must have been a fan of Sir Walter Scott, given the 273 books by Scott in his collection. George read many of these books two or three times. For example, he read “Waverly,” a groundbreaking historical novel, in 1875, 1897 and again in 1910. One feature in George’s record-keeping that we find particularly touching is that, tucked in among the list of authors and titles, are mentions of precious life events. In 1900, for example, he noted the birth of his daughter, Cornelia, within a list of French and English novels he had been reading. George was also very interested in France. There are 4,326 French titles in his book collection, and the “Books I Have Read” journals show that he read many of them. Honoré de Balzac must have been another favorite author, because he noted having read more than 80 Balzac titles, the majority of which were in French. There are a total of 218 books by Balzac in George’s collection. When George was a young man of 14, he read James Fenimore Cooper’s novel “The Last of the Mohicans.” Interestingly, much of the 1992 film version of that novel was shot on location here at Biltmore. The year before his death, George read “The Life of Samuel Johnson” by James Boswell. Samuel Johnson was an English poet, essayist and literary critic, and many scholars have claimed that Boswell’s work is the greatest biography ever written in English. George’s interest in quality literature was a lifelong pursuit, and we are very thankful to have such a detailed guide to his reading life. About the photos Top: Portrait of George Vanderbilt by painter John Singer Sargent, 1890. Inset: George’s “Books I Have Read” journal opened to the 1,817th entry: “Richard Carvel” by Winston Churchill. Right above it is George’s note about daughter Cornelia’s birth on Aug. 22, 1900.
Happy Birthday, Dear Edith Posted on January 17, 2013 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Today, January 17, is the 140th anniversary of Edith Vanderbilt’s birthday. In celebration of her life and legacy, we thought it would be fun to share some little-known stories about her. One of my favorites is a very glamorous Edith dressed as a peacock for a party in the early 1920s, as seen in the main photo above. A lover of costume or ‘fancy dress’ parties her whole life, Edith entertained often at Biltmore and clearly had a flair for the dramatic. In preparation for a party planned for August 1922, she contacted the legendary Ziegfeld Follies in New York to inquire about renting a ‘White Peacock’ costume made famous by a showgirl known as Dolores. It appears that Edith had little luck in obtaining the outfit and resorted to having her own peacock costume made a year later. It’s not completely clear at what event Edith chose to strut her stuff, but we suspect the celebration was held in honor of her daughter Cornelia’s 23rd birthday. Biltmore’s costume collection includes seed pearl jewelry and glass bead hair ornaments which were worn at other fancy dress parties during the 1920s, and a dazzling metallic mermaid costume that will go on display in the exhibition, “The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad” this spring in Antler Hill Village. Edith’s love of drama began at an early age. As a child, she and her sisters frequently played charades and imaginative games of “house.” Edith and her youngest sister, Pauline, also loved witnessing the theatrical transformation of Newport’s grand interiors that were typical for Gilded Age entertaining. In a memoir, Pauline recalled helping with preparations for lavish dinner parties and then taking delight in spying on the guests! ”…In August … we children would be kept busy wiring flowers for enormous centerpieces, for those were the days when tables were overloaded and great satin ribbons lay on the table cloths; extending from one solid bed of flowers to another. The blossoms of pink hollyhocks were fastened on toothpicks and pierced into moss-filled flat baskets joined by huge bow knots of pink satin ribbons which wound their way amid silver tankards and baskets of hothouse fruits. Edith and I used to climb out on the tin roof over the dining room and peer down through the sky-light at the guests, scuttling back to bed when the roof creaked and we feared detection. Of course the voices below drowned any noise we might have made, but we didn’t realize that…” In her teens and early 20s, Edith lived in Paris and was a member of an amateur group that frequently hosted “theater parties.” If the peacock photograph is any indication, Edith’s penchant for drama was most pronounced during the Roaring Twenties, a time when many women felt a heightened sense of independence and freedom to express themselves creatively. Edith hosted a number of masquerade balls at Biltmore House, as well as tableaux vivants, a popular form of entertainment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. French for “living pictures,” tableaux vivants were elaborate productions in which costumed participants would pose in the guise of mythological or literary figures, famous paintings or individuals from history. These amusing spectacles were enhanced by live music, props and dramatic lighting. No matter the occasion, it seems that Edith always took pleasure in finding ways to enhance the everyday. Her spirit lingers on, inspiring so much of what we do at Biltmore. Thank you, Edith – and Happy Birthday!