The ghost of the biltomre house

he Biltomre Estate, located in Asheville, was originally built to be a
 vacation home for George Washington Vanderbilt, one of the heirs to the
 Vanderbilt industrial fortune.

George Washington Vanderbilt was fortunate enough to have been
born into a life that offered him staggeringly vast amounts of money
that he didn't have to lift a single finger to earn. In 1886 he
travelled to Asheville with his mother fell in love with the mountains
and the town. He decided, at the tender age of twenty-six, that he would
 build a vacation home there. Thinking something with a little yard
would be nice, he purchased 125,000 acres and called in the shovels.
Vanderbilt would eventually spend a significant part of his inheritance
constructing the estate, including building out a private railway line
to bring his family and guests to the grounds, which were then far
outside the bounds of Asheville.

Though the city has crept up on it over the years, the estate remains
 impressive and the house remains the largest privately owned home in
America. Now open to the public, the house, the surrounding estate, the
winery, and the related attractions make Biltmore one of the biggest
tourist destinations in North Carolina. The gorgeous home and its
surrounding gardens have been featured in multiple movies, from the
Peter Sellers' classic *Being There*, to the less well-remembered *Hot Heir*,
 starring Raleigh's own perennial political candidate and Guppy The
Clown Ron Campbell. But some visitors to the Biltmore House have seen
even stranger things.

In addition to his architectural passions, George Vanderbilt was an
avid collector of books, art, and artifacts. He and his wife Edith
turned Biltmore into a private museum of luxury, and would host lavish
parties and entertain guests over extended stays.

When he died in 1914, his estate passed through his daughter to his
grandsons, and it was they who decided to open the estate to the public.
 Ever since then, there have been rumors that the founders of the estate
 may still be around.

During his lifetime, Vanderbilt was particularly proud of his
library, and would spend a considerable amount of time there, pouring
over some rare edition or other. It was Vanderbilt's particular habit to
 retreat into the library when he saw a storm approaching. His ghost may
 be continuing this habit, as workers and visitors to the estate are
said to have seen a shadowy figure in the library, usually when the
skies are dark and there is an oncoming storm.

George Vanderbilt may also not be the only member of his family
keeping up old habits. Edith Vanderbilt was known to personally journey
down to the library to remind her husband when it was time to join his
guests. Today, many people passing through the library have reported
hearing a woman's voice whisper the name "George." She may be summoning
George away from his studies and back to what seems to be an eternal
party. Workers and visitors have reported hearing the sounds of clinking
 glasses, laughter, and snatches of music echoing through the halls.
There have even been reports of the sounds of splashing coming from the
estate's now-empty swimming pool.

If the Vanderbilts are indeed continuing their lavish existence into
the afterlife, it may be evidence that while you may not be able to take
 it with you, you also don't necessarily have to leave it all behind.

## How to Get There

The Biltmore Estate
 is located in Asheville and is accessible from clearly marked exits off
 both I-40 and I-26. Just follow the signs. The house is open
year-round, some other attractions on the estate are seasonal.