New Life for an Old House

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.