New Life for an Old House Posted on November 6, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Coleman Minter Once an old farmhouse on Biltmore’s West Side, Jones House is now the restored club house for the Biltmore Sporting Clays Club. This remarkable transformation continues to be a contributing building to our national historic landmark designation since May of 1963. Jones House is only one of two homes remaining on the estate from the pre-Vanderbilt era. Reviving the past Biltmore’s Engineering Services team worked hand in hand with architects, the State Historic Preservation Office, and various contractors to adapt Jones House into the Sporting Clays Clubhouse, while preserving portions and features of the building that convey its historical, cultural, and architectural value. This project was completed in December of 2014 and received the 2015 Griffin Award from The Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County in the Adaptive Re-Use category. Jones House was named for the farming family that lived there from 1965–1983. Retaining authentic details Brent Merrell, Director of Engineering Services, reflected on the challenges and rewards of the restoration process. He noted, “I thought I knew a lot about restorations until I got involved. Staying true to the heritage of the house proved to be a large task as the structure had deteriorated during the years it sat vacant—the front left corner of the house was 9 inches higher than the back right corner!” The Jones House was built somewhere between 1879 and 1889, likely by Merritt Roberts, a farmer who sold the land to George Vanderbilt’s agent in 1901. This 1,700 square-foot house was originally designed as a one-story home with a gable roof. Two extensions were later added. Today, the home of the Sporting Clays Club houses a lounge area, retail section, bar, bathrooms, and an upstairs classroom. “We tried to keep as much of the original material as possible, so we removed exterior siding, walls, and the whole floor, and we put them all back down,” said Brent. Details like the original windows were also preserved rather than replaced. A nine-pane window upstairs at the front of the house wasn’t centered originally, so the workers removed the wall that held the window pane and replaced it exactly as it was, offset to the left. Continued preservation efforts The first woolly residents of the Sheep Barn were Southdown sheep, one of which descended from a flock owned by the Prince of Wales. While not always visible to all visitors, the restoration of the Jones House and others, such as the recent restoration of the Sheep Barn, highlights our team’s dedication to conserving, preserving, and restoring historic structures throughout the estate. Designed by farm architect Edward Burnett, the Sheep Barn is currently the oldest structure dedicated to George Vanderbilt’s agricultural legacy. This two-year restoration project focused on preserving key architectural and operational features dating back to its construction in 1890. Originally named the Sheep Shed, it operated as a satellite sheep farm. By 1916, the barn ceased to be used to house sheep and instead was repurposed to shelter Jersey Cattle for the operations of Biltmore Dairy. Restoration began in earnest in 2022 to restore the Sheep Barn to its former glory. Following the original 1890 Burnett plans, numerous architectural elements were restored, such as doors, windows, dormers, and even the historic red and green exterior paint. For an in-depth look at our restoration efforts and the farming operations on the West Side, join us on The Farm to Table Tour & Taste. Thank you for supporting our ongoing preservation efforts during your next Biltmore visit.
A Good Life for Wildlife Posted on October 8, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, welcomes over a million guests each year—and those are just the ones who come through the gates! In addition to our visitors and Passholders, our 8,000-acre backyard is also home to a wide variety of wildlife and birds, including deer, rabbits, turkeys, and migratory waterfowl. In addition to the colorful sunflowers that bloom in the summer, soybeans, wheat, legumes, and millet are planted in our rich fields on the west side of the estate. Cultivating care across the estate We caught up with Kyle Mayberry, Director of Agriculture, and Vince Helton, Senior Director of Facility Operations, to get the ‘outside’ scoop. “We average about 450 acres of field crops each year and 29 of those acres are designated for wildlife food plots,” Kyle explained. While most of these crops are harvested to feed our cattle, sheep, and other farm animals, there’s still plenty left for wildlife and birds. Smaller plantings of radishes, canola, soybeans, corn, and sorghum are grown around the estate to provide nourishment through the harsh winter months, for our four-legged and feathered friends. Chimney Swifts spend nearly their entire lives in the air, eating, drinking, bathing, and gathering nesting material, landing only to roost and nest. A new home for Chimney Swifts Our dedication to creating a welcoming environment extends far beyond our fields and into some unique conservation projects. One such initiative focused on chimney swifts, a small migratory bird renowned for its spectacular flight patterns and distinctive roosting habits. These birds have been facing challenges as traditional nesting sites become inaccessible. To help, we built a custom-designed chimney swift tower on the estate, providing them with the perfect roosting spot. Biltmore® Grown honey and sunflower oil can be purchased at the Farmyard and in estate shops. The buzz behind Biltmore® Grown Our commitment to the environment extends to our smallest residents too! Busy bees play a key role in producing Biltmore® Grown sunflower oil. They stay hard at work buzzing between over 140,000 blooms, their tireless efforts transforming each blossom into a seed of potential. “We take pride in providing these pollinators with abundant nectar sources across the estate,” Kyle said, “ensuring they have everything they need to create high-quality products, like our sunflower oil and honey, for use in our restaurants and for guests to purchase in our shops.” Strap on your life jackets and get your binoculars ready for a trip down the French Broad on our river birding tour. Discover the call of the wild “Being good stewards of the land applies to the natural wildlife that exists here, and it’s just as important to maintain healthy populations—something we have been committed to since the days of George Vanderbilt,” said Vince. “We follow the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s recommendations for monitoring and managing wildlife to ensure the safety of our guests, grounds, and wildlife.” As always, our guests’ safety is of paramount concern, and we remind you not to approach estate wildlife or birds. In addition, while dogs are welcomed on estate grounds as long as they are securely leashed, state law prohibits pets from entering fenced enclosures protecting farm animals. Visit our complete wildlife viewing policy here. Interested in learning more? We’ve got plenty of outdoor activities aimed at educating our guests about our wildlife friends and their diverse habitats! Consider going on a guided bird walk or rafting down the French Broad on our river birding tour, participating in a naturalist talk, or getting up close and personal in our falconry class!