Jackson's Actions

All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire. --Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC) <

Completed in 1895, America's largest home (250 rooms, the White House has 55), is an unbelievable experience. I went today for the first time. The John Singer Sargent paintings, the Renoir paintings, the priceless antique furniture, and European grandeur of the architecture made for a delightful day. George Vanderbilt,(1862 - 1914) the grandson of "The Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, began his country home in 1889 when he was a wealthy 27-year-old bachelor. Three years later he brought his bride, Edith Stuyesant Dresser (1873 - 1958) to live at Biltmore following their Italian honeymoon. Their only child, Cornelia (1900-1976)was born in Biltmore House and the site of Cornelia's 1924 wedding to the Honorable John Francis Amherst Cecil. One of Vanderbilt's grandsons, William A.V. Cecil owns Biltmore Estate today. His son is the CEO today. It is difficult to conceive of this much wealth in one family.


The astonishing Biltmore House (no photos permitted inside the house).


The walled garden


The Conservatory


On the path to the Main House from the Conservatory


The (not yet in bloom) Wysteria garden


Bev wistful for wysteria



Up the hill to the Biltmore House


Statues adorn the grounds, like an Italian palace


Cupid welcomes lovers (note portico's not yet blooming wysteria behind).


One of many magnificent views of the mountains.


My friend, Maggie Graham, outside the Biltmore House.


Breakfast at the Bake Shop in the Stable Courtyard (croussants & coffee)


A view of the charming roofs at the end of the house.


Maggie holding up her end of breakfast.


Biltmore House Main Entrance


Raised tower of the Main Entrance


Charming lions garlanded with fresh flowers


Maggie and Bev


The fish ponds of the Italian Garden


The Italian Garden on the periphery of the house


Maggie in her new hat (after we visited the gift shoppe)


Italian garden


More charming statuary


Taking our leave of the Biltmore House (moving on to the Winery)


A charming European fountain


Just a taste of the beautiful grounds


Maggie on an ornate bench on the grounds


The reason the gardens were not full of spring flowers.


A fountain outside the Biltmore Winery. (we lunched at the Arbor Grill.)

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