American Victorianism in North Carolina

Constructing the Iconic Biltmore House in Asheville

Michael Streich

2011

America’s Gilded Age was illustrated in large measure by the extravagance of its millionaires, particularly those “new money” folk seeking to enter what was referred to as “society.” Society gathered at the palatial homes of families like the Vanderbilts, vacationed at Newport, Rhode Island and Jekyll Island, Georgia, and trekked through Europe’s great cities like Paris and Venice. But it was in hilly Asheville, North Carolina that the finest mansion was constructed by George Washington Vanderbilt. Opened at Christmas in 1895, it reflected what historian Virginia Cowles described as “…a tradition of elegance and refinement…”

 

Bringing Europe to America

 

G.W. Vanderbilt was the youngest grandson of the “Commodore,” Cornelius Vanderbilt. The Commodore established the family fortune in the early to mid-19^th Century. His fortune, according to Biltmore Estate guides today, began when he borrowed money from his mother to begin ferry service in New York. His fortune grew after he invested in the ever expanding railroad networks. Historian Cowles, however, maintains that the fortune was the result of Cornelius’ selling arms during the Civil War, much as J. P. Morgan had done, according to Howard Zinn.

 

G.W. Vanderbilt was not a businessman in the same vein as his grandfather Cornelius or his father, William Henry. G.W. Vanderbilt loved the arts and books. A July 7, 1896 New York Times article states that, “He possesses a collection of rare publications which has few equals either on this continent or in Europe.” He filled the Biltmore Estate with an impressive book collection which is still there today as well as priceless art including historical artifacts.

 

Lifestyle of America’s Gilded Age Society

 

The Vanderbilt family was part of “America’s aristocracy,” a term used by Cornelius Vanderbilt Junior. G.W. Vanderbilt’s estate in Asheville was one of the best examples of that lifestyle. While members of grand society competed for attention and box seats at the New York Metropolitan Opera, established by the Vanderbilt family in 1883, George W. Vanderbilt and his wife Edith Stuyvesant Dresser entertained in the western hills of North Carolina.

 

The 250-room house, modeled on French mansions in the Loire Valley and English “baronical” homes, was surrounded by gardens. Frederick Law Olmstead created the gardens while the surrounding forests were placed under the care of Gifford Pinchot, a friend of Theodore Roosevelt and a leader in the conservation movement.

 

Hundreds of servants worked at the estate which, according to the New York Times (December 26, 1895), had, “Every conceivable modern adornment and convenience.” The house even featured an in-door swimming pool. G. W. Vanderbilt treated his servants well, unlike many other wealthy members on America’s Social Register. Historian Page Smith comments that, “the only limit to the numbers of servants was the resourcefulness of the master and mistress in conceiving of tasks to be performed…”

 

Living and Working at the Vanderbilt Estate

 

Mr. Vanderbilt hired both black and white workers. Significantly, the children of both races were educated together, a practice unheard of in the “separate but equal” South. Pictures of integrated classrooms and working groups are on display in the servant’s quarters in one of the top floors of the house and can be viewed by visitors today.

 

The estate was a destination. President William McKinley visited Biltmore in June 1897. It was a retreat for G.W. Vanderbilt and his guests, a pleasant diversion from the hectic life of New York yacht races and regattas. Biltmore Estate was a symbol of wealth that reminded Americans that success in the capitalist system was possible. Cowles writes, “Society must not be looked upon as a pleasure, but a duty.” When the home opened on Christmas in 1895, gifts hanging on the immense tree were not just for the Vanderbilt party, but for children of the many servants.

 

Wealth and Social Obligation in the Latter Gilded Age

 

Historians differ as to whether the Vanderbilt family was “old money” or “new money.” The family settled in colonial America in the mid-17^th Century. By the late 19^th Century the Vanderbilt ladies ruled fashionable east coast society, filling newspapers with stories of ostentatious balls, while the men were captains of industry and finance. Constructing the Metropolitan Opera in 1883 was a reaction to the “old money” families that monopolized the opera boxes at the Academy of Music.

 

Philanthropy was as much a part of the social life as public demonstrations of opulence. Vanderbilt University preserves the legacy of such efforts and nearly every millionaire strove to support educational institutions and the arts. Teddy Roosevelt’s father helped to establish both the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History. His philanthropic efforts were also directed toward children such as establishing the orthopedic hospital.

 

The Legacy of George Washington Vanderbilt

 

Biltmore in Asheville is one of the finest examples of American Victorianism as well as the contributions of America’s industrial aristocrats. G.W. Vanderbilt, however, took social responsibility to a deeper level. Preserved and open to the public today, the estate is a time capsule of an age both reviled for its chasm of wealth and poverty and emulated as an example of capitalist success.

 

Sources:

 

Ballard C. Campbell, editor, The Human Tradition in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (Scholarly Resources, Inc., 1984)

Virginia Cowles, 1913: An End and a Beginning (Harper & Row, 1967)

Guide to Biltmore Estate (The Biltmore Company, 2004)

Page Smith, The Rise of Industrial America: A People’s History pf the Post-Reconstruction Era, Volume 6 (Penguin Books, 1990)

[Copyright owned by Michael Streich; reprints subject to written permission; first published in Suite101 in 2011]