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From The Age of the Biltmore

Written By Amy Dangelico

Posted 08/19/16

Updated 08/19/16

More From Biltmore

Richard Morris Hunt by Levi

After their visit to Biltmore in March 2016, Horizons fourth and fifth graders of Euchee Creek and South Columbia Elementary Schools in Columbia County, Georgia, created a book titled The Age of the Biltmore. The book includes impressive writing and illustrations by the inspired students.

As George Vanderbilt intended for his home to be an inviting and comfortable place to visit and study, we think he would be proud that students of all ages can still come to Biltmore to learn about the past and apply those lessons to their current courses.

We couldn't help but share the amazing work of these students. Here are some excerpts and illustrations from The Age of the Biltmore:

On Biltmore House

Biltmore has 250 Rooms, 65 fireplaces, and 34 bedrooms. The inside of the house has four acres of floor space, and the walls contain more than 11 million bricks.
– From “Richard Morris Hunt” by Wesley

Biltmore Elevator by Gabe

The gardens were being designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the man who designed Central Park in New York, and Richard Morris Hunt, the man who built the base of the Statue of Liberty, drew up the plans for the Biltmore.
– From “President Cleveland” by Utsab

Did you know the Biltmore had the first passenger elevator in North Carolina? The carriage cost $250 at the time it was built… When I saw the elevators at the Biltmore, I was really surprised that they still had the original elevators in use.
– From “The Amazing Technological Features of the Biltmore” by Drew

Amazingly, in 1895 when the doors of the Biltmore were open to guests on Christmas Eve, it had five refrigerators, which all were electrically-powered. The original model held up to fifty gallons of liquids and five hundred pounds of meat and vegetables.  – From “Chilling at the Biltmore” by Gabe

On the Vanderbilts
Who was the person who planned to build the biggest house in US history? It was George Washington Vanderbilt. You might have heard his name in history books or maybe in an old newspaper. His grandfather was Cornelius 'The Commodore' Vanderbilt.
The Commodore's Ship by Roman– From “George Washington Vanderbilt”
by Gage

He was a man who made an empire out of nothing but a dream and one hundred dollars.
– From “The Commodore” by Roman

He was in charge for eight short years, but during that time he doubled the family fortune from 100 million to 200 million.
– From “William Henry Vanderbilt”
by Andrew

The Vanderbilt family is a very famous and historical family. They were also a wealthy and powerful family. The Vanderbilt family tree still exists today.
– From “The Famous Vanderbilt Family” by Emma

On the estate
Dr. Carl Schenck founded the Biltmore Forest School in 1908… The conservation techniques that were taught at the school are still influential today!
– From “The Biltmore Estate Forestry” by Jayden

The Biltmore Dairy Farm by David

Frederick Law Olmsted, the person in charge of the landscape, told George Washington Vanderbilt that he needed a dairy farm so that the soil could be richer from the manure and Biltmore could use the milk for food.
– From “The Elegant Biltmore Dairy Farm”
by Quinn

The dairy farm at the Biltmore served many purposes, it supplies the estate with milk and other dairy products, it gave the estate some income to help it sustain itself, and the manure from the cows helped plants stand tall.  – From “Dairy Farming” by William

On the era

Ladies were not supposed to refer to another adult by his or her first name in public. For instance, a man named George Vanderbilt would be called Mr. Vanderbilt in public and never George.
– From “Etiquette Rules for Ladies” by Kyra

Cocktail Dress by Talia

At Biltmore Estate, they would always have parties, and the guests used the latest trends in makeup, like pancake makeup.

– From “Cosmetics at the Turn of the Century” by Ruby

When a slow dance would come on men were supposed to ask a lady to dance, not sit on the side and watch. Gentlemen were encouraged to always thank a lady after every dance. Another rule was that ladies should never refuse a gentlemen for one dance and say yes to another unless it was promised before the dancing started.  – From “Etiquette” by Aeriel

Images

Feature: Biltmore House by Landen, “The History of the French Chateau”

Top right: Richard Morris Hunt by Levi, “Building the Biltmore”

Top left: Biltmore Elevator by Gabe, “Chilling at the Biltmore”

Mid right: The Commodore's Ship by Roman, “The Commodore”

Bottom left: Biltmore Dairy by Quinn, “The Elegant Biltmore Dairy Farm”

Bottom right: Cocktail Dress by Talia, “1920's Evening Wear”