MONDAY 31, 2014 ASHVILLE, N. C.

Sunday we visited at the Trinity UMC in Ashville. Lovely, large, old church. A member told me that after the artisans finished at Biltmore House....they came over and built that church.
Stop at Walmart.....after finding it, then home to do laundry at the campground. The Avella's went to visit relatives.

Monday...a day at BILTMORE. I was so excited as I've always wanted to go and had heard how beautiful it is. The Avella's heard the Butlers Tour was the one to take, besides the HOUSE TOUR. It is just beautiful as you turn the corner to the House. Breathtaking!

We got our tickets at the campground, 2 days for 1 day price. Got the Butler tour extra when we got there as well as adding audio to our house tour. Still early for Butler tour so looked around in the Carriage house which is now shopping....and boy do they have shopping.
Butlers tour was very interesting. We saw servants quarters, as they were of old, kitchen for servants, the grand dining hall complete with huge pipe organ and gorgeous. The table has leaves to seat 50 people!! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun. No photos could be taken in the house. Even went down to the boiler room where coal was used to heat the water and the house. From the beginning, Biltmore House had electricity and running water!! All furniture is original to the house as no one ever left to move anything! We saw where the mens quarters were as George was a single man at the time Biltmore was built so he invited all his friends to come and stay. There is a gun room, billiard room with 2 tables, libraries, smoking room, swimming pool and 2 bowling lanes. The pool had to be emptied every 2 days as it became a science experiment by then!!! All they could do and no one knew how to sanitize the pool!! We saw George Vanderbilts bedroom and Edith's bedroom. He had married while on a trip to Europe and notified the house maid, Emily, to have the Mrs. a room ready in 4 months. As we were told by the guide, Emily was the head house maid. We saw her living quarters and were told she could look out the window and see who comes in late!!

This is the Carriage House with patio and Shops.

Here we are on the Butler tour on a balcony of the Mens wing for George's guests. Behind Mikes right shoulder, is the only addition to the original house....a sleeping porch added at the request of Edith. They had one daughter, Cornelia, who was born in the house in a special bedroom which we saw.

The gardens had not one blade of grass out of place nor any old blooms. Immaculate!

Several large greenhouses, one of which was all orchids. All the florals in the house are real not silks. On entering the house, there is an atrium with many orchids, large trees and almost any potplant you can think of.