The Osprey, with its wide wingspan, zoomed down into the lagoon, feet first, from its nesting place nearby. The silent spring was interrupted by the rattle of wings. From her place on the rock, Cornelia raised her eyes to the sound. Her arm was suddenly jerked by the leash in her hand. Holding onto it, she followed the dog’s trail to see the Osprey’s catch.
Cornelia, the only daughter of the eminent George Vanderbilt, was raised in this palatial atmosphere. George, the builder of Biltmore and the great-grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, opened his country estate to friends, family and heads of states.
The tale above tells us a little about George’s daughter Cornelia and her precious puppy…and according to history, George’s father, William Henry Vanderbilt, continued the legacy of the Vanderbilt empire in railroad and shipping created by the Commodore. He doubled the value of the Vanderbilt lines, to approximately two hundred million dollars.
The 1989 book “The Vanderbilts” by Jerry E. Patterson, states, “They were, and remain today, among the richest families in the world, and they lived as the world expected them to, lavishly and publicly.”
George Vanderbilt, through his inheritance, in 1888 purchased the land that would ultimately become the Biltmore.
George Vanderbilt first welcomed guests to the Biltmore House on Christmas Eve 1895. Today, that tradition is kept alive each year as the Biltmore House is filled with hundreds of trees and garlands from the area. Each year, the 34-foot-tall Banquet Hall Christmas tree wows Biltmore’s guests.
During Candlelight Christmas Evenings, the Oak Sitting Room glows in the light from candles and matching fireplaces at either end of the room
The glow of hundreds of lights and a roaring fire illuminate George Vanderbilt’s Library during Christmas at Biltmore.
The Tapestry Gallery during Christmas shines in tones of green, blue and gold. The tapestries reach from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. We breathed in the beauty.
During our stay, Tom and I were treated royally. We enjoyed the warmth and wonder of Candlelight Christmas.
The Banquet Hall is 72 feet long, 42 feet wide and 70 feet high. It could seat up to 64 guests.
George Vanderbilt’s bedroom, in red with deep rich wood- toned furnishings of Victoriana.
Mrs. Vanderbilt’s bedroom is dressed with contrasting fabrics in yellow and black. The French furnishings painted white add a country flavor, an informality in contrast to the formality found throughout the home.
- Winter Garden
The Winter Garden is located in the front hall. In November when we visited, the garden was filled with Christmas, decorated with Christmas trees, plants, poinsettias, musicians, choirs of high school angels and more.
Breathtaking.
Thanks to LeeAnn Donnelly, Senior Public Relations Manager at the Biltmore in Asheville, NC, for permission to use the Biltmore images.
Dear Gail,
I enjoy very much your blog!!
I love the photos of Baltimore House in Christmas!! What a beautiful decoration!!
Wish you and Tom, Merry Christmas and very Happy New Year!!
Love,
Tatjana
Hi Tatjana,
There you are. It is good to hear from you. Thank you for your kind words. The Biltmore House is special and beautiful. I hope I have the opportunity in the future to visit when all the tulips and azaleas are blooming. They plant millions.
How are you? Are you still with Marriott in Marbella? Now that winter is almost upon us, I think about the warmth by the water in Marbella. Do you get snow there?
I’ve only seen the outside of Biltmore and all the other Newport estates. Now I’m itching to get inside, especially for the Christmas season. It’s on my bucket list now! Thanks, Gail for a glimpse of the past and the connections it has to your WIP.
So awesome Gail! I could stare at these photos all day!
Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for showing us and letting us dream of celebrating Christmas in grand style. A big “thank you” goes to LeeAnn Donnelly for giving you permission to use the pictures..
Truly breathtaking, Gail! You must have felt like a princess surrounded by all that oppulence. A lifestyle we could all get used to, I think:-) Great job.