Construction of Biltmore Estate
George Vanderbilt, Frederick Law Olmstead and Richard Morris Hunt met on the property for the first time together on 16 October, 1889 (NRHP, 106). It was the first time they were all three on the property to discuss the placement of the house and situation of the grounds. It was the beginning of the monumental building effort required to establish Biltmore estate. It is a sign of the mutual respect of all
parties involved that Vanderbilt, Hunt and Olmstead worked well as a team,
without any major friction or disagreements during the course of the
construction.
When the house was finished, it was over 175,000 square feet on four levels. There are 250 rooms and 65 fireplaces. Construction of the estate and grounds began in 1889 and would continue through and beyond 1896. The size and scope of the project was immense and the first of its kind. As a contemporary architect wrote about Hunt's work on Biltmore Estate in 1895,
When the house was finished, it was over 175,000 square feet on four levels. There are 250 rooms and 65 fireplaces. Construction of the estate and grounds began in 1889 and would continue through and beyond 1896. The size and scope of the project was immense and the first of its kind. As a contemporary architect wrote about Hunt's work on Biltmore Estate in 1895,
"Nowhere else has so elaborate a scheme been planned, nowhere else has an American architect had so fine an opportunity for the exercise of his talent and the free employment of those large sums that are indespensible to the obtaining of magnificencein in a truly artistic form" (Ferree, 1895, p 275).
Archectural Design Inspiration
Mr. Vanderbilt and Mr. Hunt traveled to Europe together during construction; Mr. Vanderbilt amassed a vast trove of European tapestries and artwork, sculpture and statuary, and furnishings and textiles with which he would endow his new grand estate after completion. During their travels, Hunt frequently sketched and collected architectural details from which inspiration for Biltmore could be drawn(NRHP, 26). The final design of the house is in the French Renaissance style with many similarities to the chateaux of Blois, Chantilly and Chambord.
Chateau de Chantilly.
http://frenchtraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Chateau-Chantilly.jpg
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Chateau de Blois
http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/blois-f-cen-blo.htm
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Chateau de Chambord.
http://www.cycling-loire.com/sights-itinerary/chateaux-loire/chateau-chambord
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Olmstead's Landscaping
Frederick Law Olmstead was not impressed with the condition of the grounds of the property that Vanderbilt had purchased. In fact, his main advice to George Vanderbilt when asked what his plans for the property should be was:
"Such land in Europe would be made a forest; partly if it belonged to a gentleman of large means, as a preserve for game, mainly with a view to crops of timber. That would be a suitable and dignified business for you to engage in; it would, in the long run, be probably a fair investment of capital and it would be of great value to the country to have a thoroughly well organized and systematically conducted attempt in forestry made on a large scale" (NRHP, 72).
Vanderbilt agreed and followed Olmstead's advice regarding the forests (see Bilmtore Forestry School below). Olmstead also suggested that the George raise livestock on the estate, to help supply the massive amounts of fertilzer needed on the grounds. Instead of the park-like setting that Vanderbilt requested, and that Olmstead thought ill-suited to the land, a plan of cultivating "agreeable, wild, woodland scenery" was undertaken (Volk, 1984, p.142).
Workers on the Approach Road. 1895. Biltmore Estate.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/alad:@field(NUMBER+@band(mhsalad+230110))
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Another very important aspect to the landscape planning in Olmstead's view was the approach road by which guests would travel to the home. For the approach road, Olmstead directed that the scenery on both sides of the road be kept densely filled with natural and uncultivated looking foliage and shrubbery. This three mile lane leading to the house was to be soothing and relaxing.
"The driveway is an excellent example of a historical property that successfully seduces the traveler, its curving road heightening the sense of arrival by slowing down the experience, said Charles A. Birnbaum, founder and president of The Cultural Landscape Foundation. “Olmsted designed the arrival experience of the approach road as a game of hide and seek, the prize being the glimpses of the estate and what awaits ahead” (Mohn, 2012). |
Approach Road as seen recently. 2012.
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ejef45lld/the-grand-approach-road-biltmore-house-near-asheville-north-carolina/
Olmstead also made sure to incorporte the landscaping requests made by Mr. Vanderbilt for the grounds directly surrounding the home. For these most formal of the landscaping projects on the estate he constructed an Italian formal garden, a walled garden, greenhouses, and fountains. There was also a lovely bowling green, outdoor tea room, pools and a magnificent tree lined esplanade in his plans, all of which incorporated European statuary that Mr. Vanderbilt brought back with him from his European travels.
Biltmore Construction. 1891.
http://nchistory.web.unc.edu/the-biltmore-estate/
Esplanade during construction. 1895. Biltmore House.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/alad:@field(NUMBER+@band(mhsalad+230109))
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Construction LogisticsIn order to facilitate the massive amount of tiles, bricks and wood materials needed to build a house of this scale, a woodworking factory and brick kiln, which produced 32,000 bricks a day, were constructed on site. To facilitate delivery of raw materials, a three mile span of the Richmond and Danville railroad was constructed to carry materials to the building site. Construction on the main house required the labor of well over 1000 workers and 60 stonemasons (Volk, 1984 p.96).
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Railroad constructed to bring materials to Biltmore construction site.
http://www.biltmore.com/visit/biltmore-house-gardens/estate-history
1895 Map of Biltmore Estate.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?alad:1:./temp/~ammem_PDLL::
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Biltmore Village
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George Vanderbilt was interested in creating a self-sustaining agricultural estate. He was also very interested in creating a lovely first impression for guests as they emerged from the train station. As such, he asked Robert Law Olmstead and Richard Morris Hunt to design an entire village of architecturally compatible buildings and picturesque landscaping. The result became "Biltmore Village". It would house rental cottages, a church, post office and shops. Eventually a doctor's office and neighborhood school was opened in the village as well.
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Olmstead's Biltmore Village Plan- 1895.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?alad:40:./temp/~ammem_yOp8::
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The Young Men's InstituteGeorge Vanderbilt created the Young Men's Institute in 1893. He spent $32,000 to erect a 18,000 square foot building designed by famed Asheville architect Richard Sharp Smith in an English Tudor style. George envisioned this building, the Young Men's Institute, as a place for the African American craftsman and laborers who were helping to construct his home to congregate and socialize. There was a resident YMI orchestra, gymnasium and bathing facilities (Chase, 2007, p. 140). The YMI is still standing and remains a vibrant part of the African American community in Asheville today.
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The Young Men's Institute. 1894. Asheville, NC
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/asheville/you.htm
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Forestry Students. Biltmore Estate ca.1890s.
http://foresthistory.org/Research/Galleries/Biltmore_Forest_School_Gallery/pages/FHS274th.htm
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Biltmore Forestry SchoolThe Biltmore Estate is often coined the "Birthplace of American Forestry". Acting on the advice of Frederick Law Olmstead during the construction of his estate, George W. Vanderbilt was the first American landowner to manage and preserve forest lands on a large scale. He went on to hire some of the only experts in the field at the time and established The Biltmore Forest School- the first attempt in the United States to provide professional training for foresters. It was the precursor for the many forestry programs offered in American universities today.
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