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Real Estate
Libertina Brandt
Updated
2023-04-26T17:25:39Z
- The Biltmore Estate, which is located in Asheville, North Carolina, is the site of the largest privately-owned house in the United States.
- According to the property's website, the Biltmore House was built in the late 1800s by George Vanderbilt and features 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
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The Biltmore Estate is home to the largest privately-owned house in the United States.
George Vanderbilt, a prominent businessman from the late 19th and early 20th century, began constructing the Biltmore House in 1889.
Located in Asheville, North Carolina, the 250-room home took six years to build.
Asheville is a mountain city known for its scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The area's most popular destinations include the Blue Ridge Parkway — a 469-mile road around the mountain's peaks — and, of course, the historic Biltmore Estate.
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Vanderbilt opened the Biltmore House in 1895. Over the next 35 years, the estate played an important role in Vanderbilt's family life. In fact, his daughter, Cornelia, and two of his two grandchildren were born there.
George Vanderbilt died in 1914. After his death, his wife, Edith, sold around 87,000 acres of the estate to the United States Forest Service.
In 1930, Cornelia and her husband John Cecil opened the house to the public. According to the Biltmore website, it was opened during the Great Depression to boost the area's attraction.
Since then, there have been various additions to the estate, including the Biltmore Winery, the Inn on Biltmore Estate, and the Antler Hill Village, which features the Village Hotel.
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The Biltmore Estate, which now spans a total of 8,000 acres, is covered with gardens designed by American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
The main house, America's largest, includes 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.
Keep reading for a look inside.
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Asheville is a mountain city known for its scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As of 2017, the city's estimated population was 91,902. Its median home value, according to Zillow, is $303,814.
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The Biltmore Estate is home to the Biltmore House, which is the largest privately-owned house in America.
Source: Biltmore
It was constructed in 1889 by George Vanderbilt, a prominent businessman from the late 19th and early 20th century.
Source: Biltmore
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With the help of around 1,000 people, the home was completed in six years.
Source: Biltmore, Arcadia Publishing
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Over the next 35 years, the estate played an important role in Vanderbilt's family life. In 1900, his wife, Edith, gave birth to their daughter Cornelia in the Louis XV Room. Two of their grandchildren were also born on the estate.
Source: Biltmore
The main house includes 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.
Source: Biltmore
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... and of the library. According to the Biltmore website, from 1875 to 1914, Vanderbilt read around 81 books a year.
Source: Biltmore
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Vanderbilt died in 1914. After his death, Edith sold around 87,000 acres of the estate to the United States Forest Service.
Source: Biltmore
The property has a history of collecting various pieces of artwork and artifacts. In fact, during World War II, artwork from Washington DC's National Gallery of Art was stored in the house.
Source: Biltmore
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There is even a smoking room with blue-patterned walls and two bookshelves.
Source: Biltmore
The home also boasts a variety of amenities. Below is an emptied swimming pool.
Source: Biltmore
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In 1930, Cornelia and her husband John Cecil opened the house to the public. Since then, there have been various additions to the estate, including the Biltmore Winery, the Inn on Biltmore Estate, and the Antler Hill Village which features the Village Hotel.
Source: Biltmore
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Outside, the estate, which now totals 8,000 acres, includes acres of gardens designed by American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
Source: Biltmore
This story was published originally in January 2020.
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