A Romantic Legacy

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William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil, the younger son of Cornelia and John F. A. Cecil, was born at Biltmore in 1928. He attended schools in England and Switzerland before serving in the British Navy. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, William worked as a banker in the international department of Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City.

It was there that he met his future wife Mary “Mimi” Lee Ryan, daughter of textile manufacturer John J. Ryan, Jr., and granddaughter of prominent New York banker, lawyer, and builder James T. Lee. Mimi received her undergraduate degree from Vassar College and her law degree from the University of Michigan. Prior to her marriage, she was an attorney with the Manhattan firm of Cadwalader, Wickersham, and Taft.

A romantic beginning

The Cecils married on October 5, 1957, at St. Vincent Ferrer’s Roman Catholic Church in New York City. The bride wore a gown of white satin with a fitted bodice and a full skirt forming a cathedral train. She carried a lush bouquet of white roses, stephanotis, and English ivy. Her veil was a family heirloom originally worn in 1903 by her maternal grandmother, Margaret Merritt Lee, and also worn by her first cousin, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, at her 1953 wedding to future U.S. President John F. Kennedy. After the ceremony, a reception was held at the elegant River Club in the city.

In 1959, the Cecils moved to Asheville, North Carolina to manage Biltmore, the grand country estate created by Mr. Cecil’s grandfather George Vanderbilt. Their two children grew up in the family business whose mission is preserving Biltmore as a privately owned, profitable working estate. Today, William Cecil, Jr. serves as Biltmore’s CEO and Diana “Dini” Cecil Pickering is president of the Family Office.

The Biltmore Legacy

Today, estate guests have an opportunity to visit The Biltmore Legacy located in Antler Hill Village and view our Fashionable Romance exhibition featuring family wedding history and heirlooms, including Mrs. Cecil’s beautiful wedding gown, subsequently worn by her daughter-in-law Virginia Cecil and her daughter Dini Pickering.

The Lee Family Veil is also displayed in the exhibition along with a stunning recreation of the gown worn by Mr. Cecil’s mother Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil and her original satin slippers. This outstanding collection of wedding-related fashion offers a rare glimpse into the lives of the fascinating family that has preserved Biltmore for generations to come.

Fall Arrives in Biltmore’s Gardens

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When Frederick Law Olmsted designed Biltmore’s gardens, he planned their beauty to last through all four seasons. It’s little wonder the blooms of the estate’s gardens continue well into fall.
            In the formal gardens, the show continues with carefully planted flowers designed to blossom through cooler temperatures. In the Walled Garden, an array of fall mums provide color from late September though the end of October. This year’s color show will include orange, lilac, golden yellow, and royal purple buds in the pattern beds and blazing bronze blooms under the arbors.
            Rose lovers can enjoy a sneak peek of the judging of the annual International Rose Trials on September 24. Since 2011, the estate’s historic Rose Garden has served as the home for the trials. More than 90 varieties from growers and breeders worldwide have been planted and cared for by Biltmore’s horticulturalists. Each trial lasts two years, with a permanent jury judging the roses four times each year.
            The glory of fall blooms continues through the estate’s informal gardens. The Azalea Garden, filled with 15 acres of native azaleas, enjoys a second bloom in the fall. The area’s other gardens are also alive with late blooming annuals, perennials, and vibrant leaves on the estate’s native and exotic trees.
            Those looking to learn from Biltmore’s gardening experts can enjoy free demonstrations at A Gardener’s Place shop, located below the Conservatory. Available every Tuesday at 1 p.m. from September 6 through October 19, the complimentary session provides a quick lesson on Success with Succulents. All attendees receive a 20% coupon towards the purchase of a succulent in the shop.
            For those looking for fall color beyond the gardens, a scenic drive through the estate provides a wonderful opportunity to slow down and savor views of forests flush with color and panoramic vistas. The road by the Reception & Ticketing Sales Center is populated by vibrant orange and red sugar maple trees, while an afternoon drive by the Bass Pond offers views of bright fall foliage backlit by the afternoon sun. A trip to Antler Hill Village & Winery provides the chance to drive by the Lagoon and enjoy views of the house’s western facade framed by vibrant leaves. The promise of fall color begins in early September and continues until late October, making any time a perfect time to experience autumn on the estate.

Biltmore’s Winery: A Tradition of Evolution

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Biltmore’s Winery is the most visited in the country, producing about 150,000 cases of wine annually. Our award-winning wines are available on the estate and also distributed across the country and even online.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on how we got here. And as it turns out, the Winery’s tradition of evolution is even older than the Winery itself.

Biltmore Dairy milkman and delivery truck, 1930-1940s

The Days of Biltmore Dairy

Before it became the Winery in Antler Hill Village, the century-old structure was the main dairy barn for Biltmore Dairy. Designed by Richard Howland Hunt, son of Biltmore architect Richard Morris Hunt, and farm manager George Weston, the barn accommodated 140 cows for one of the largest dairy operations in the Southeast.

Biltmore Dairy was the most successful of all of Biltmore’s enterprises, providing the estate with a financial cushion that would see it through George Vanderbilt’s death, two world wars, the Great Depression, and beyond.

After Biltmore House opened to the public in 1930, guests could view the milking rooms and processing areas in the dairy barn, sample the milk, and buy ice cream. Biltmore Dairy was so successful and its products were so well-known that it became an attraction in its own right for estate visitors.

It was around this time that the dairy’s delivery wagons were replaced with trucks and the fleet grew from 30 vehicles to over 400 in just 15 years.

Unfortunately, the market gradually shifted and, like many other smaller, family-run businesses at the time, Biltmore Dairy became unable to compete with larger commercial operations. With the advent of chain grocery stores came a cheaper, more convenient option for consumers to purchase milk, eventually making door-to-door dairy delivery obsolete. In April of 1985, Biltmore Dairy was sold to Pet, Inc.

Philippe Jourdain, Biltmore’s first Winemaster

A New Drink, A New Day

Even before Biltmore Dairy was sold, George Vanderbilt’s grandson and Biltmore’s owner, William A.V. Cecil, was asking: “What’s more appropriate for a French château than vineyards and a winery?”

In the early 1970s, he planted the first vines on the property, just below Biltmore House, and bottled the inaugural vintage in the Conservatory basement.

Less than pleased with the product, Mr. Cecil traveled to France in search of expertise. He returned with Philippe Jourdain, Biltmore’s first Winemaster. Together, the pair moved the vineyards to their current location on the west side of the estate and established Biltmore Estate Wine Company.

Biltmore’s Winery in Antler Hill Village

Opening Biltmore’s Winery

The conversion of the dairy barn into a state-of-the-art winery began in 1983. Mr. Cecil’s son and Biltmore’s current CEO, Bill Cecil, assumed the leadership role in overseeing the renovation.

In 1985, the Winery opened to the public in what Mr. Cecil called, “the most historic event since my grandfather had opened his estate to his family on Christmas Day ninety years earlier.”

Since the opening of the Winery in Antler Hill Village, we’ve celebrated the release of new Biltmore Wines, expanded our Tasting Room, opened a Wine Bar, and developed tours featuring the Winery’s production facility and wine tastings.

Biltmore’s Winemaker, Sharon Fenchak

The Evolution Continues

French native Bernard Delille joined Biltmore as an assistant winemaker in 1986—making this year his 30th anniversary with Biltmore Estate Wine Company. Bernard was promoted to Winemaster and Vice President of the Winery when Philippe retired in 1995.

Sharon Fenchak joined the team a few years later and now serves as Biltmore’s Winemaker. Her research in grape-growing technology and wine production methods in combination with Bernard’s traditional and artistic perspective proved to be a perfect combination for the Winery. Sales have continued to grow and retail distribution has since expanded.

Indeed, the evolution continues, while at the same time, throughout the dynamic history of the Winery, Biltmore’s winemaking philosophy holds: “To keep each wine true to varietal character, food-friendly, and consistent from vintage to vintage.” 

We invite you to enjoy the fruits of our labors by visiting our estate winery during your next visit, shopping for our award-winning wines online, or finding a retailer near you that carries Biltmore Wines.

From The Age of the Biltmore

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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”

 

 

 

 

 

Coming home to Biltmore

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The fate of George Vanderbilt’s visionary estate featuring Biltmore House set like a jewel amidst a breathtaking landscape might have been very different if Mr. Vanderbilt’s grandson William A.V. Cecil had not returned to Asheville to take on the management of America’s largest home and all that it entailed.

The Cecils open Biltmore House to the public in 1930

The white elephant

After Biltmore House was opened for public viewing in 1930, it became a well-known attraction in the southeast. By the late 50s, however, the numbers of visitors were dwindling and a decision had to be made: sell the property and turn what many considered a “white elephant” into a state or national historic trust—or find a way to preserve the estate and put it back on its feet financially.

Against most well-meaning advice, Mr. Cecil decided to leave his successful career with Chase-Manhattan Bank in Washington, DC and return to his birthplace to see what he could make of it. According to Howard Covington’s book Lady on the Hill,

“Cecil brought a fresh and appreciative perspective to Biltmore. He saw the chateau not with the eye of a curator hired to present and explain a historic property but as a devoted family member who was proud of what his grandfather had left for him and others to enjoy. Like his father before him, William believed that visitors should be made to feel like guests rather than ticket holders and should be welcomed warmly and treated with courtesy.”

Recovery begins

Mr. Cecil continues to experiment with new projectsTo attract the numbers of guests needed to make the venture successful, Mr. Cecil had to become a one-man marketing department to promote Biltmore House and Gardens to the public. He was more than equal to the challenge, and in the summer of 1960, Biltmore welcomed its one-millionth visitor since tickets were first made available 30 years earlier. The growth was important for the success of Biltmore, because the dairy operation that had sustained the estate for many years was becoming less profitable in the face of new regulations and increased competition.
 

The legacy continues

Mr. Cecil with wine barrels

Now nearly six decades later, Biltmore welcomes more than one million guests annually, and the estate is a glowing tribute to George Vanderbilt’s original vision, the groundbreaking work of his grandson William Cecil, and the Cecil family’s continued commitment to their mission of preserving Biltmore as a privately owned, profitable, working estate. The property includes Antler Hill Village, which features the award-winning Winery and Antler Hill Farm; the four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate; Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate; Equestrian Center; numerous restaurants; event and meeting venues; and Biltmore For Your Home, the company’s licensed products division.

 

Featured image: William A.V. Cecil in front of Biltmore House, circa 1980s

Right: Cornelia and John Cecil open Biltmore House to the public in 1930

Left: William Cecil works discusses the possibilities of raising prawns at Biltmore, circa 1980s

Right:  William Cecil in the winery he envisioned, circa 1985

Centennial Celebrations: A Landmark, A Legacy

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This year, we join the National Park Service in celebrating its centennial anniversary.Sustainable Logging on Biltmore Estate

With an emphasis on strict preservation, the National Park Service focuses on protecting natural and cultural resources “unimpaired for future generations,” including many historic properties that illustrate the nation’s heritage. Biltmore has been recognized as a designated National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service since 1963.

The Birthplace of Forestry

While Biltmore House as a structure was certainly ahead of its time and holds within its walls a vast collection of art and antiques, the landmark designation is not actually for the house, but for the estate itself as the birthplace of forestry. 

The original description of the estate’s National Historic Landmark designation recognizes Biltmore forest manager Gifford Pinchot, who later served as the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service, for his management plan that improved the forest and returned a profit to the Vanderbilts. The plan was the first of its kind and served as a national model.

The description also recognizes Dr. Carl A. Schenck, Pinchot’s successor, for establishing the Biltmore Forest School, also the first of its kind. In its 15 years of existence, the school graduated more than 300 of the nation’s first professionally-trained foresters.

Dr. Carl Schenck with Biltmore Forest School students, 1900

A National Forest is Born

The nearly 87,000 acres of the estate that became Pisgah National Forest are also mentioned in the designation description. After George Vanderbilt’s death in 1914, his widow, Edith Vanderbilt, sold the land to the federal government for just under $5 per acre. However, Pisgah Forest wasn’t established as a National Forest until 1916—making this year its centennial anniversary as well.

Within Pisgah National Forest is the Cradle of Forestry, a National Historic Site located on the grounds of Biltmore Forest School’s Pink Beds campus, where classes were held during the summer. The site, set aside to commemorate the beginning of forestry conservation and the lasting contributions of George Vanderbilt and his forest managers, spans about 6,500 acres of former estate property.

In a public ceremony in 1920, Pisgah National Forest was dedicated to the memory of George Vanderbilt, noting the land as “the earliest example of forestry on a large scale on private lands in America.” The ceremony was attended by Edith and daughter Cornelia Vanderbilt as well as N.C. Governor Locke Craig and George S. Powell, secretary of the Appalachian Park Association. 

Pisgah National Forest Dedication Ceremony, 1920

The Legacy Continues

From the very beginning, Pinchot as well as landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who convinced George Vanderbilt to adopt forestry as his primary business, were determined to make Biltmore a model of forestry for the country.

Reflecting back on the beginning of his employment, Pinchot later wrote: “Biltmore could be made to prove what America did not yet understand, that trees could be cut and the forest preserved at one and the same. I was eager, confident, and happy as a clam at high tide.”*

Pinchot’s prediction was correct and his hope for Biltmore’s significant role was fulfilled.

In 2005, Biltmore successfully expanded its National Historic Landmark designation to include themes of architecture, landscape architecture, and social history, now encompassing the contributions of architect Richard Morris Hunt, Olmsted, estate superintendent Chauncey Beadle, and the significance of Biltmore Dairy.

Today, Biltmore continues to be managed by its original guiding principles. With the centennials of the National Park Service and Pisgah National Forest upon us, there has never been a better time to enjoy the estate’s 8,000 acres of Blue Ridge Mountain beauty. Join us for some of the great outdoor activities Biltmore has to offer. We have much to celebrate.

Images
Feature: Biltmore Forest School students in the woods, 1900**
Top Right: Logging on the estate, late 1800s-early 1900s
Left: Carl A. Schenck with Biltmore Forest School students, 1900**
Right: Pisgah National Forest dedication ceremony, 1920

*Source: Pinchot, Gifford. Breaking New Ground. New York: Harcourt, Brace, and Co., 1947.

**Image courtesy of National Forests of North Carolina Historic Photographs, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina Asheville, Asheville, NC. 

Biltmore wines blend in to stand out

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If you ask Biltmore winemaker Sharon Fenchak why some grape varietals are blended into different wines, she’ll tell you there are many reasons, but one of her favorites is to create something special that she thinks Biltmore wine drinkers will enjoy.

Ladies drinking Biltmore wine“Blending varietals is a combination of art and science,” Sharon says, “and the final blend should ultimately be more delicious and complex than any of single varietals by themselves. That’s not to say that most varietals can’t stand on their own, but when you’re blending, you’re doing it to enhance the final product.”

History of blending

Historically speaking, the practice of blending is as old as winemaking itself. While there’s some sense that old world wines are more often blends and new world wines tend to be separate varietals, this may have more to do with the fact that European wines are typically associated with a particular region such as Bordeaux, Rhone, and Champagne while North and South American and southern hemisphere wines are more likely to be noted by the specific type of grape.

Biltmore blends

Biltmore Estate White Blend

At Biltmore, our best-selling blend is our Century Sweet Red created from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel. One reviewer notes:

“I’m not a red wine drinker AT ALL, but this bottle has me ordering again and again…I LOVE this wine, especially with ribs. It’s light, sweet and honestly, the PERFECT…”

For white wine drinkers, our Biltmore Estate White Blend features a blend of Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc which one review characterizes as:

“Spectacular blend. Very good nose with hints of vanilla and honeysuckle. Very drinkable and smooth. Delicious.”

The Hunt, one of our finest wines, is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grown in California’s Sonoma County. Aged for 18 months in French and American oak barrels, The Hunt offers good aging potential along with richly refined layers of taste.

Biltmore Vivescent Sparkling Sec with picnic

Other Biltmore blends:

• Biltmore Century Sweet White
• Biltmore Estate Cardinal’s Crest
• Biltmore Estate Red Blend
• Seasonal releases during spring and at Christmas

We also blend some of our sparkling wines, like our Biltmore Estate Brut and our special seasonal releases for summer and the winter holidays.

Buy any of our wines online or learn where you can buy them locally.

Packages of Pressed Flowers

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Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt, George and Edith Vanderbilt’s only child, was born in August 1900. And with her arrival, Biltmore Superintendent Chauncey Beadle soon found himself nurturing the young girl with the same tenderness and care with which he nurtured the flora of the estate.

A Little Girl's Garden

Before Cornelia was born, Beadle and Edith shared a mutual love of flowers. While travelling, Edith often wrote Beadle about the plants she had seen and admired, asking if they could be planted at Biltmore. Beadle would write Edith, asking her to name new varieties of flowers that he had developed.Chauncey Beadle, 1906

After Cornelia was born, Beadle helped the young girl to cultivate that love as well. The pair spent much time together, exploring the outdoors and enjoying nature’s beauty. A trained botanist and horticulturalist, Beadle personally assisted Cornelia in planting and caring for her own flower garden.

While the exact location of Cornelia’s garden is unknown, it was most likely near one of the borders of the Walled Garden, if not closer to the house, according to Bill Alexander, Biltmore’s Landscape and Forest Historian.

Blooms Abroad

When Cornelia was travelling with her parents, Beadle wrote letters detailing her garden’s growth. He would also often include pressed flowers so that she could enjoy the colorful blooms. Here are excerpts from the charming letters Beadle wrote to Cornelia just before her sixth and seventh birthdays:

Cornelia Vanderbilt, 1906August 17, 1906 – To Cornelia in Paris, France: “I promised you just as you were leaving Biltmore to send you some pressed flowers from your garden, that you may see some of the results of the seeds we planted last spring. Almost all of the seeds grew and thrived and, in particular, I wish you could have seen some large double sunflowers as large as breakfast plates … They were so large that I could not press them and I fear that before your return they will have faded and gone. The little package which I am sending you, however, contains some of the smaller flowers that were easily pressed and, perhaps, before your home-coming, I can send you another lot so that you may be able to enjoy the garden even though you were in Europe…”

August 14, 1907 – To Cornelia at Point D' Acadie, the Vanderbilt’s home in Bar Harbor, Maine: “I have sent you by mail a package containing a number of pressed flowers from your garden which you painstakingly planted and watered. Very many of the plants have made a splendid showing… In the package you will find handsome Larkspurs of various shades and mottled colors… and several other flowers that were in blossom…. You will find the names of the flowers written on the inside of the sheets of paper which contain them, and I am very sure that you will soon know them all by name and will be able to recognize them wherever you may see them growing…”

A Continued Correspondence

George Vanderbilt passed away unexpectedly in 1914 and Edith began spending more time in Washington, DC, where Cornelia attended The Madeira School. Beadle continued corresponding with the pair through the years, bringing Edith up-to-date on estate business and describing the gardens in great detail so both ladies could enjoy them even when they were far from home.

Thanks to their mutual fondness of flowers, Edith and Cornelia Vanderbilt remained connected with Beadle through the superintendent’s retirement and beyond. Experience the beautiful blooms that were the basis for this bond, flowers lovely enough to be pressed, packaged, and shared. Visit Biltmore House & Gardens and see what’s blooming now.

Images
Featured: Portrait of Edith and Cornelia Vanderbilt, 1906
Right: Chauncey Beadle, 1906
Left: Cornelia Vanderbilt, 1906

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.”