Looking Back at the Flood of 1916

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While many of the events in Biltmore’s long history are joyous, some are solemn occasions that have shaped the estate and our community. 

On September 27, 2024, heavy rain and high winds from Tropical Storm Helene swept through Western North Carolina, causing record-level flooding throughout the region. This natural disaster echoes the Asheville flood of July 16, 1916, when water reached historic levels far beyond the banks of the Swannanoa and French Broad Rivers, causing widespread damage at Biltmore and throughout the western end of the state.

As we reflect on the historic flood of 1916, we invite you to discover the stories that have shaped our history and inspire our resilience today.

Archival image of Biltmore greenhouses during the 1916 flood.
Biltmore Greenhouses, 1916. Courtesy of the National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

The End of an Era

Prior to the flood of 1916, Biltmore’s Nursery was one of the top nurseries in North America. Founded in 1889, it was established to supply the wide variety of trees, shrubs, and other ornamental plants that Frederick Law Olmsted required to complete the estate’s industrious landscape design.

It grew to be a beacon within the horticultural world as it opened to public buyers and supplied customers across the United States with unsurpassed variety, quantity, and quality of ornamental plants. The nursery also contributed to George Vanderbilt’s vision of a self-sustaining estate, and provided income at a time when the estate was still under construction.

Archival image of people looking at a flooded field at Biltmore.
Swannanoa River cutting off Biltmore from Asheville, 1916. North Carolina Collection, Pack Memorial Public Library, Asheville, North Carolina.
Archival image of the Lodge Gate at Biltmore.
Biltmore’s Lodge Gate, 1916. North Carolina Collection, Pack Memorial Public Library, Asheville, North Carolina.

Uncontrollable changes

On March 6, 1914, the estate experienced a crushing loss with the untimely death of George Vanderbilt. Left with a large estate to manage, Mrs. Vanderbilt was already considering downsizing various estate operations, including the nursery. She was also pondering the donation of the Biltmore Herbarium, a subsidiary of the nursery, to a small local educational institution.

However, before decisions could be made and implemented, the flood of 1916 provided the last word. 

The ruin from the flood was so massive that it closed the doors of the nursery’s large-scale commercial operation, destroyed three-fourths of the Biltmore Herbarium, and ruined many rare botanical volumes that were part of the estate’s botanical library. 

Chauncey Beadle, estate superintendent and head of the Biltmore Nursery, wrote after the flood that “We are heavy losers, something like 85% of our nursery stock having been destroyed.”

Archival image of the 1916 flood at Biltmore.
Flooded field, 1916. Courtesy of the National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

A Legacy withstanding the test of time

While the flood’s damage was permanent, the legacy of the Biltmore Nursery was timeless. The specimens grown at Biltmore before the flood found homes on the estate’s grounds and outside of Biltmore’s gates thanks to the nursery’s commercial success. 

In particular, the North Carolina Governor’s mansion in Raleigh received a donation of various shrubs and plants in 1898 for the beautification of the Executive Mansion Square. Then in 1908, a shipment of roses and sequoia trees were delivered to Dr. Booker T. Washington at what is now Tuskegee University.

Various plants and trees were shipped across the country and overseas before the flood, and continue to thrive at botanic gardens, public parks, universities, and private landscapes. Beadle and Edith Vanderbilt arranged for the surviving parts of the Biltmore Herbarium and botanical library to be salvaged and donated to the Smithsonian Institution.

While the flood may have ended the business side of the nursery, the landscapes at Biltmore and beyond serve as a living testament to the vision and business acumen of Frederick Law Olmsted, Chauncey Beadle, and George Vanderbilt.

Best-kept secrets: Biltmore’s alley gardens

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With acres of vivid colors and lush plantings, the gardens of Biltmore are so breathtaking that some guests never venture inside the Conservatory during the summer months. According to Jordana Chalnick, Conservatory Horticulturist, however, those who stay outside are missing out on some very special displays in the “back alleys” of the Conservatory.

A working conservatory

“Biltmore’s Conservatory was originally designed to be a functional workspace for growing and nurturing plants as well as an indoor garden space for guests,” said Jordana. “We continue to use it for both purposes today, and we also create intriguing displays that draw visitors through the Conservatory and into the alleys behind it.”

Jordana has been with Biltmore since 2006, putting her horticulture degree to use first in the Azalea Garden and then in the Conservatory. She became Conservatory Horticulturalist in 2013 and has been instrumental in creating the displays that make the Conservatory a must-see during any Biltmore visit.

Alleys of the Conservatory

“In the mid-1990s, there were just a few hanging baskets and some of the larger trees in the alleys,” Jordana said. “Gradually, the staff began lining the alley walls with plants and then over the years adding under-plantings to the larger pots. The alleys have definitely evolved from what they were initially to the more designed and elaborate displays we do today.”

Heating up and keeping cool

Jordana noted that there are actually two alleys—one between the cool room and the sitting room and one between the hot room and the sitting room.

This year, the cool alley, which was designed by Conservatory Gardener Kathryn Marsh, features fragrant plants that create a shady respite from the sun during the hot summer months. Having all the different fragrances makes it a nice space in which to take break and relax for a while.

The hot alley features water plants using dwarf versions of many of the species in the Italian Garden.

“I’ve always liked the idea of displaying the water plants in a way that guests can have closer access to them than they do in the Italian pools,” Jordana said. “I took lots of inspiration from pictures of gardens in Bali and Thailand where they incorporate water plants seamlessly into the landscape as opposed to having a special area for them.”

Alley installation

As far as installing the alleys, the Conservatory crew does as much as possible ahead of time. They received most of the cool alley’s fragrant plants from Florida in March, and the dwarf lotus plants for the hot alley were stored in the Italian Garden pools until early June.

Lotus Flower in Italian Garden Pool

“We already have a general idea of which plants will go in which alley, so we will generally load up a truck load for one alley, haul it up and unload it,” said Jordana. “We have one reserve worker who helps us and we definitely get a lot of help from everyone in Historic Gardens, since our crew is pretty small and installing the alleys is a huge project.”

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Hibiscus Flower

Now that the alley plantings are installed, the Conservatory crew will maintain them throughout the summer, watering, grooming and deadheading as needed. The alleys will stay in until around mid-September when the plants need to start transitioning back to the greenhouses for winter.

“I love my job,” Jordana said, “because I get to use my creativity in designing displays as well as using all of my horticultural knowledge to keep plants happy and healthy.”

6 Biltmore Rooms Named After Artists

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Vanderbilt was an avid print collector who purchased more than 1,400 prints in his lifetime. Not only did he have personal friendships with leading artists of the era, he even named some of the rooms in his home after artists where their work was on display. Below are just a few of the rooms inside Biltmore House with names inspired by artists and how guests can see these on their tour.

Claude Room

This room was named after one of George Vanderbilt’s favorite artists, the French painter Claude Lorrain. One of the masters of 17th-century landscape painting, Claude presented nature as harmonious, serene, and often majestic. The prints on this room’s walls are after Claude Lorrain’s paintings. (See it on the winter tour rotation.)

The striking wallpaper in the Claude Room, reproduced from the original, is the same pattern that is used in the Damask Room, but in a different color palette.
The striking wallpaper in the Claude Room, reproduced from the original, is the same pattern that is used in the Damask Room, but in a different color palette.

Earlom Room

This room was named for the English engraver Richard Earlom. Vanderbilt purchased most of the prints in this room and in his collection from H. Wunderlich and Company in New York. (See it on the Upstairs-Downstairs tour.)

Raphael Room

Highly detailed engravings after the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael Sanzio d’Urbino add interest to the room’s understated décor. (See it on the Upstairs-Downstairs tour.)

Morland Room

Named for the English painter George Morland, this bedroom attracts attention with exotic Indian-style fabrics. The bed draperies are exact reproductions of hand-painted originals that adorned the Italian villa where George and Edith Vanderbilt honeymooned in 1898. (See it on the summer tour rotation.)

Van Dyck Room

Decorated in the Colonial revival style of the late 19th century, this room features prints after paintings by the 17th-century artist Anthony Van Dyck. (See it on the summer tour rotation.)

Watson Room

This room was named for the engraver James Watson. A close-up of his 1769 mezzotint after a painting by Francis Cotesand is the top photo in this blog. Fun fact: This room is the only bedroom with twin beds. (See it on the summer tour rotation.)

Top 10 Tips for Custom Framing & Preserving Special Photographs

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It’s wedding season—the perfect time to consider custom framing your beautiful photographs so you can enjoy them for years to come. From glass recommendations to matting and moulding, we’ve got the Top 10 framing tips (thanks to Larson-Juhl framing experts) to help you preserve and present your special memories!

Top 10 Framing Tips
 

1. Choose the right mat
Many people today look at mats as an opportunity to add color to the frame design, but originally mats were neutral in color and used to provide visual relief between the art and its surroundings. Regardless of color, think big: More generous mat borders enable you to focus on the art much more easily. And make sure to use acid-free mat board.

2. Consider wider frame moulding
If a frame design doesn’t include a mat, the frame size may need to make up for it. A wider frame may still be smaller than the overall picture size would have been with a mat, but it helps art look more interesting and important.

3. Use conservation-grade glass or acrylic
Conservation-grade glazing protects art from most of damage caused by harmful UV light rays. By investing a bit more in protective glazing, you will maintain the integrity of your framed art and increase its longevity.

4. Double or triple mat layers all can be the same color
Many people just assume if there are multiple layers of matting used, each layer needs to be a different color. Actually, using the same color for all layers can simplify the design and keep attention focused on the art.

5. Use clear glass for bold images and non-glare glass for muted images
Clear finish (shiny) glass or acrylic helps to maintain sharp lines and shapes, bold colors and fine details. For soft, muted images, use non-glare glass or acrylic. Non-glare (also called Reflection Control) glass has a soft finish that diffuses details and colors. It looks great when the art itself seems intentionally soft in focus or muted in color.

6. Be creative
Many pieces of art look great when framed in a moulding style that’s unexpected. Some types of contemporary art look good in a traditional or rustic frame, and an ornate frame sometimes can add just the right finishing touch to a piece of folk art.

7. Pick the right contrast
Black and white provide the highest degree of contrast of any colors, so a black-and-white photo looks best with a high-contrast frame design. Images with softer colors and contrast look best in lower-contrast frame and mat combinations.

8. Consider bottom-weighting a mat
A bottom-weighted mat is one where the border below the art is wider than the borders on top and sides. Logical reasons to bottom-weight include when the lower half of the art is darker or contains larger shapes or patterns than the upper half. You may also choose it for a classic look or for valued art that you do not want to cut down.

9. Group images
When placing more than one picture in a frame, a multiple opening mat provides the means to bring them together. It is common to use a wider border around the outer edges than the amount of space used between images. When working with more than a few pieces, it can add interest to use different mat opening shapes.

10. Add depth and variety
Special details like extra-deep, 8-ply mat boards and narrow, ornamental frames called fillets that work inside the primary frame add layers, making certain designs more dynamic and memorable.

See more Biltmore frames.

Find a Biltmore retailer near you.

Explore Our Favorite Outdoor Rooms

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Every season offers a wonderful reason to explore our favorite outdoor rooms at Biltmore, but summer is an especially perfect time to do so.

Frederick Law Olmsted

Known as the “father of American landscape architecture,” Frederick Law Olmsted had definitive ideas about landscape design.

You can see many of his innovative ideas in New York City’s Central Park and here at Biltmore, which was his last professional project before his death in 1903.

Enjoy the outdoors, by design

View of the Approach Road in spring
The Approach Road, which Olmsted designed to achieve a “sensation passing through the remote depths of a deep forest,” only to have “the view of the Residence, with its orderly dependencies, to break suddenly, fully upon one.” Photo credit: The Biltmore Company.

For the magnificent estates he landscaped, Olmsted preferred longer-than-usual approach drives and separate garden spaces or “outdoor rooms” that were distinct from one another with no blending of styles.

The methods Olmsted used for creating special spaces are very noticeable in spring and when the gardens and grounds begin to bloom with color.

Explore our favorite outdoor rooms

When Biltmore employees were asked to share their favorite outdoor rooms around the estate, their answers were a tribute to all that Olmsted envisioned to enchant the Vanderbilts and their guests more than a century ago.

Italian Garden

Italian Garden at Biltmore
The Italian Garden is spectacular in summer

Parker Andes, Director of Horticulture, has a favorite spot tucked away in the Italian Garden.

“There’s a terra cotta cherub fountain in the last little turf area near the end of the garden,” said Parker. “Most people miss this treasure because they don’t walk all the way down there.”

Spring Garden

The Spring Garden at Biltmore
Some of the earliest blooms at Biltmore appear in the sheltered Spring Garden

Cathy Barnhardt, former Floral Displays Manager for Biltmore, is now retired and enjoying the estate as an Annual Passholder.

“The Spring Garden is like a little valley that opens up off the beaten path. The grass gets green there first and flowers bloom early,” said Cathy. “It’s a great place to spend time with your family.”

Azalea Garden

Kids in Biltmore's Azalea Garden
Guests of all ages love discovering Biltmore’s “outdoor rooms” like the Azalea Garden

Another special location mentioned by several staff members is a bench at the top of the Spring Garden. From this vantage point, you can look down into the Azalea Garden and also have a view of the distant mountains.

Another not-to-be-missed favorite outdoor room is the Azalea Garden with all its varieties, colors, and sweet fragrances of azalea to enjoy.

Explore our favorite outdoor rooms
Stone steps in the Azalea Garden invite further exploration

“Although the Azalea Garden wasn’t part of Olmsted’s original plan, it makes perfect use of a wooded space,” noted Parker. “The blooms are spectacular in late spring, so be sure to take time to walk down the stone steps—another technique Olmsted used to divide outdoor rooms—and stroll down the path there, noticing the stream lined with wild flowers and unusual conifers.”

Bass Pond Boat House

Boat House at the Bass Pond is a hidden gem of Biltmore
The view of the Bass Pond from the Boat House is worth the walk!

Below the Azalea Garden, Hope Wright of A Gardener’s Place–one of the charming shops on the estate–loves walking down the path to the Bass Pond.

“I stop on the bridge going toward the Boat House and sit on the bench,” Hope said. “This is a favorite spot of mine in the spring and summer as I look back upon the stunning beauty I have just witnessed.”

Plan your getaway today!

Family activities at Biltmore
Explore our glorious gardens and grounds all year long!

Ready to explore our favorite outdoor rooms and discover which ones you like best?

Consider becoming an Annual Passholder so you can return and discover something new in every season.

Solving a Mystery in the Kitchen Pantry

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Solving a mystery in the Kitchen Pantry at Biltmore took some detective work, but our Museum Services staff finally cracked the case!

“Among the many place settings of china in the Biltmore collection, one set had remained a mystery for many years,” said Lori Garst, Curatorial Assistant.

Solving a mystery in the Kitchen Pantry
A cup, saucer, and plate from the collection of unidentified china

While the set was often referred to as “the Christmas china” because it was used during a 1931 holiday party, or “the employee china” because it was later used by staff members, the origin of the china—and its original purpose in Biltmore House—remained unclear.

Cup, saucer, and teapot featuring George Vanderbilt's monogram
George Vanderbilt’s elegant white china with burgundy and gold trim. It was manufactured by Minton and Spode-Copeland, and used for everyday occasions.

“Most of the china in Biltmore House was chosen by George Vanderbilt,” Lori said. “He selected an elegant white china with a burgundy and gold pattern, manufactured by both Minton and Spode-Copeland. It features his monogram and was used every day for family and guest meals.”

Cornelia Vanderbilt’s china matches her father’s pattern but includes her own CSV monogram.

China featuring Cornelia Vanderbilt's monogram
While Cornelia Vanderbilt’s china closely matches the pattern her father selected for use in Biltmore House, their monograms distinguish one set from another

“We know that Edith Vanderbilt ordered Cornelia’s china in 1923,” said Lori. “And Mrs. Vanderbilt requested that Cornelia’s monogram be in the same style as her father’s.  I think it is sweet that her service blended in with the style her father had chosen.”

But what of the mysterious china collection on the shelves of the Kitchen Pantry in the Basement?

Museum Services began to look for clues about its history. While not as fine as the monogrammed Vanderbilt china, the gold-trimmed white pattern rimmed in crisp navy was definitely elegant and the amount of it suggested it had been purchased with a large number of people in mind.

Solving a mystery in the Kitchen Pantry of Biltmore House
Trimmed in gold and rimmed in navy, this china is elegant, but more sturdy than the monogrammed family china in the collection

“We began with the manufacturer’s mark on the bottom of each piece,” said Lori. “Kniffen & Demarest Co. manufactured hotel and steam ship supplies, so the china was well-made and rather sturdy to stand up to use by guests and passengers in public settings.”

Biltmore conservator shows manufacturer's mark on the bottom of a china saucer
A conservator shows the Kniffen & Demarest Co. name on a piece of the so-called mystery china

While Museum Services was researching details for our Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film exhibition, they finally discovered written references to the china in conjunction with Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil’s wedding. 

“This set was also sometimes referred to as ‘the wedding china,’ but we never knew which of its three names was correct until recently,” said Lori. “The pieces came together at last, and we realized that this was the china that had been ordered for the buffet at Cornelia Vanderbilt and John Cecil’s wedding breakfast.”

After the ceremony at All Souls Church in Biltmore Village, the wedding guests and additional reception guests (500 people were invited to the ceremony and reception; another 2500 were invited only to the reception) arrived at Biltmore House.

John and Cornelia Cecil wedding party at breakfast in the Winter Garden of Biltmore House
John and Cornelia Cecil and their attendants at the wedding breakfast in the Winter Garden of Biltmore House

The newlyweds and their attendants were served at a table in the Winter Garden, and all the other guests enjoyed a buffet in the Banquet Hall, which featured this china.

As the years passed, the Kniffen & Demarest china was still used, but its original purpose was forgotten.

Today, it’s stored in the Kitchen Pantry where it receives the same care and attention as all the other china in Biltmore’s collection.

Enjoy your own Vanderbilt-inspired china

China pattern based on an original Sèvres set used by the Vanderbilt family.
Porcelain tea set from the Vanderbilt Service

Whether you prefer a tea service or an entire place setting, this beautiful porcelain serveware is based on a Sevres pattern, circa 1888, that the Vanderbilt family once used at Biltmore. The original is on display in the Oak Sitting Room, but you can now enjoy the reproduction set in your own home.

Carrying on a Wedding Tradition: The Lee Family Veil

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Please enjoy this archived content. Our Fashionable Romance exhibition was on display from February 2016 through July 2016.

Text panel photos of Jackie Onassis and John F Kennedy wedding and Mary Lee Ryan and William Cecile wedding; both women wore the same veil. On exhibition in Legacy in Antler Hill Village.
Text panel photos of Jackie Onassis and John F Kennedy wedding and Mary Lee Ryan and William Cecile wedding; both women wore the same veil. On exhibition in Legacy in Antler Hill Village.

A Family Heirloom

The story begins in 1903, when Margaret Merritt Lee wore the exquisite rose point lace veil when she married James T. Lee, a prominent New Yorker. Some 50 years later, her granddaughters Jacqueline Lee Bouvier and Mary Lee Ryan continued the tradition at their own weddings.

In 1953, Jacqueline Bouvier married then-Senator John F. Kennedy; her first cousin, Mary Ryan, wore the veil in 1957 when she wed William A.V. Cecil, grandson of George Vanderbilt. The original veil will be on display February 12–July 4, 2016 as part of the Fashionable Romance exhibition at The Biltmore Legacy in Antler Hill Village & Winery.

Wedding gown and veil of Mary Lee Ryan Cecil.
Wedding gown and veil of Mary Lee Ryan Cecil.

The future first lady and fashion icon’s wedding gown had a tremendous impact on bridal fashion. InStyle magazine ranked Jacqueline Bouvier 6th on a list of best-dressed celebrity brides of all time for her “super-romantic ensemble.” Her intricate ivory silk taffeta gown featured a portrait neckline, fitted bodice, and bouffant skirt embellished with bands of 50 yards of flounces. A tiara of lace and orange blossoms anchored the Lee family veil.

Text panel in Legacy at Antler Hill Village with archival photo of Cornelia Vanderbilt's wedding.
Text panel in Legacy at Antler Hill Village with archival photo of Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding.

Edith & Cornelia’s Shared Veil

There’s also another wedding veil with Vanderbilt family connections. Edith Stuyvesant Dresser wore her mother’s Brussels rose point lace veil at her 1898 wedding to George Vanderbilt; the veil was also worn by her three sisters at their ceremonies. In 1924, the same veil was part of Cornelia Vanderbilt’s bridal attire when she wed the Honorable John Francis Amherst Cecil. You can see a reproduction of Edith and Cornelia’s veil on display in The Biltmore Legacy as part of the Fashionable Romance exhibition.

As for the Lee veil, brides in the extended family continue to keep the tradition by wearing it at their weddings, including Mary Lee Ryan Cecil’s daughter and daughter-in-law.

Recreating Cornelia Vanderbilt’s Wedding Dress

Go behind the scenes with the talented designers of Cosprop London as they recreate Cornelia Vanderbilt’s wedding dress to be displayed for this special exhibition at Biltmore.

New Life for an Old House

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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 Restored
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.

Inside Jones House
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

Sheep Barn on Biltmore Estate's West Side
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.

Biltmore through a literary lens

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To understand Biltmore through a literary lens, look no further than the nearly 10,000 volumes in the Library of Biltmore House and you’ll see how important books were to George Vanderbilt.

Cover of one of George Vanderbilt's literary journals titled
One of George Vanderbilt’s journals noting the books that he had read.

Throughout much of his adult life, Vanderbilt read an average of 81 books per year, or approximately one-and-a-half books each week. A New York journalist who knew him wrote “He was a bookworm, a student… I doubt not, he is one of the best read men in the country.” Given his literary leanings, it’s not surprising that he counted several prominent writers of the day among his friends.

Literary friends: Edith Wharton

Archival photograph of Edith Wharton.
Novelist Edith Wharton.

Edith Wharton was born into New York society the same year as George Vanderbilt and moved in the same social circles, so it’s likely that the two knew each other most of their lives. Wharton rented the Vanderbilts’ apartment on the Left Bank in Paris from 1907 to 1910. She also visited Biltmore twice that we know of: her signature can be found in Biltmore’s guest book, dated November 1902 and December 1905.

Edith Wharton's inscription to George Vanderbilt, May 31, 1904.
Inscription from Edith Wharton to George Vanderbilt, London, May 31, 1904.

On December 26, 1905, she sent this correspondence from Biltmore to her friend Sara Norton:

Yesterday we had a big Xmas fete for the 350 people on the estate – a tree 30 ft. high, Punch & Judy, conjuror, presents & “refreshments.” It would have interested you, it was done so well & sympathetically, each person’s wants being thought of, from mother to last baby. (From The Letters of Edith Wharton)

During this holiday visit, the author signed a copy of the recently published The House of Mirth: “To George Vanderbilt from Edith Wharton, Biltmore House, Christmas 1905.”

Literary friends: Henry James

Archival photo of author Henry James.
Photo of author Henry James.

The novelist Henry James—author of Portrait of a Lady and Daisy Miller—was a friend of Edith Wharton and also an acquaintance of George Vanderbilt. He stayed at Biltmore in the winter of 1905.

Literary friends: Leicester Ford

One of George Vanderbilt’s closest friends was Paul Leicester Ford, an author who was well known in his time as a biographer of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Ford had an affluent upbringing in Brooklyn and it’s believed that he met Vanderbilt at New York’s Grolier Club—a famous association of bibliophiles where both men were members. They became close friends. Ford was a guest at Biltmore in December 1899 and came to the 1901 New Year’s Eve house party.

In 1898, he spent several weeks at Biltmore while working on his novel, Janice Meredith: A Story of the American Revolution.

A literary dedication to George Vanderbilt in the novel Janice Meredith by Paul Leicester Ford.
Dedication to George Vanderbilt in the novel Janice Meredith by Paul Leicester Ford.

When Janice Meredith was published the following year, it contained a dedication to George Vanderbilt:

…And so, as I have read the proofs of this book I have found more than once that the pages have faded out of sight and in their stead I have seen Mount Pisgah and the French Broad River, or the ramp and terrace of Biltmore House, just as I saw them when writing the words which served to recall them to me. With the visions, too, has come a recurrence to our long talks, our work amongst the books, our games of chess, our cups of tea, our walks, our rides, and our drives. It is therefore a pleasure to me that the book so naturally gravitates to you, and that I may make it a remembrance of the past weeks of companionship….

Janice Meredith sold more than 200,000 copies and was adapted for the stage in 1901. In 1902, Ford tragically died in at the hand of his brother.

While George Vanderbilt was not himself a writer, his love of literature created a legacy that we can still admire today in the nearly 24,000-volume collection at Biltmore, part of which is on display in the Library.

Remembering the Forest Fair 1908

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“Statesman! Lumberman! Engineer! Forester! Come! And be welcome!

Come as you are, and take us as we are! Come! Rejoice with us!

And join us in giving thanks on Thanksgiving Day, 1908″

― Dr. Carl Schenck’s Biltmore Forest Fair invitation, 1908

Dr. Schenck greeting guests at Biltmore plaza in 1908
Incoming guests were personally greeted at Biltmore Plaza by Dr. Schenck.

Cause for Celebration

Biltmore forester Dr. Carl Schenck had reason to celebrate in 1908. After 13 years at Biltmore, including a decade at the head of the Biltmore Forest School, he had helped to transform what was a barren landscape of overused terrain into America’s first managed forest, a model for the rest of the country. To increase public awareness of the revolutionary achievements on Biltmore’s 100,000-plus acres of forested land, Schenck orchestrated the Biltmore Forest Fair—a three-day extravaganza held over Thanksgiving weekend. “This event will mark an epoch in American forestry,” proclaimed The American Lumberman.

Attendees at the Forest Fair 1908 at Biltmore.
Botanists, forest engineers, lumbermen, state foresters, furniture manufacturers, statesmen, editors, university professors, paper company representatives, and many others attended the Forest Fair.

By Invitation Only

An invitation to the Forest Fair was extended to 400 guests, including President-elect William Howard Taft. “You may have heard something of the farms and of the forests found on the Biltmore Estate,” the invitation read. “Now we beg of you: Come and see them for yourself!” Although the president didn’t attend, about 100 people did, including educators, furniture manufacturers, and many timber industry executives from across the US.

Dr. Schenck overlooked no detail in the planning of the festival. He even advised guests on attire: “Do not don your best! Select a rough, comfortable suit of clothes and a pair of shoes in which you may walk a quarter of a mile without the sensation of ‘walking on a toothache.’” Each guest received a 55-page booklet detailing Schenck’s forest management techniques, including specifics on tree plantings and costs—proof of his dedication to transparency and education.

Forest Fair 1908 guests traveling on Biltmore Estate
Festival guests on the trail were escorted by a Biltmore Forest School student to the events.

The Forest Fair Begins

The fair kicked off on Thanksgiving Day, 1908, with a procession of 15 open carriages “decorated in the Biltmore Forest School colors of green and white,” that made its way from the swanky Battery Park Hotel in downtown Asheville to Biltmore Village. Once on the estate, attendees followed their “tireless leader up and down mountain trails” as he “brushed aside apparently impassible thickets.” What he said is lost to time as “the rapid movements of Dr. Schenck and the rustling of innumerable fallen leaves” made it hard to take exact notes.

The guests inspected tree plantings across the estate, then enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at the Battery Park Inn, during which Schenck led a toast to George Vanderbilt: “a nobly spirited American and as high-principled a man as I ever met.” One attendee reported that the dinner was “in no case indecorous,” but had been “so thorough in a hospitable sense that most of the participants were disinclined to rise at a reasonable early hour” the next day.

Friday’s agenda included a visit to the Biltmore herbarium, plant nurseries, dairy, pig farm, and poultry farm, then enjoyed a possum hunt, capping off the evening with a lovely gala dinner. On Saturday, the group made their way to the lumber camps, enjoyed a fishing and shooting contest, and ended the day on Mt. Pisgah in time for sunset, then spent the night “under the stars” at Buck Spring Lodge. An attendee reported that the weather was “of that kind which no memory can recall any nearer perfection” and the scenery so beautiful that “none left the spot willingly.”

Guests Picnic at Biltmore circa 1908
Mrs. Schenck’s picnic in the wilderness provided guests with lovely hostesses, rest, food, and conversation.

Dr. Schenck’s Enduring Legacy

The Biltmore Forest School closed its doors in 1913, but Dr. Schenck’s legacy in Western North Carolina can still be felt today by all those who enjoy the pristine beauty of Pisgah National Forest, the forest he helped to establish.


Photos provided by Forest History Society of Durham, NC.