The Hauntings of Biltmore Estate
Posted: 11.15.2024 | Updated: 11.19.2024
Constructed at the height of the Gilded Age, the iconic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is the largest private residence in the United States. Set on 8,000 sprawling acres of gardens and forest, this 250-room house covers four acres of land. Biltmore Estate has been a tourist attraction since the Great Depression and now welcomes approximately one million guests each year who are captivated by its history and grandeur. The descendants of the Vanderbilt family own the estate, and many believe that the ancestors who originally lived on the estate still reside there in spirit form, reliving moments from a bygone era.
What Is The Haunted Story Of The Biltmore Estate?
Biltmore Estate was originally the residence of George Vanderbilt II, one of the heirs to the massive Vanderbilt industrial fortune. Sadly, George died unexpectedly not long after construction was completed on Biltmore and it’s believed that his ghost now haunts the house he so loved. Due to its long history and rumors of tragic events on the property, Biltmore is thought to be haunted by numerous spirits, making it one of the most haunted houses in the country.
Asheville is as haunted as it is beautiful. This serene town is filled with haunted houses, hotels, cemeteries, and more. You can learn all about haunted Asheville and its lore by booking a ghost tour with Asheville Terrors today!
History Of The Biltmore Estate
The story of how the Biltmore Estate came to be begins in 1862, when George Washington Vanderbilt II was born on State Island, New York. By that time, the Vanderbilt family had amassed an unbelievable fortune in the shipping and railroad industries.
Having lived in family estates his entire life, George Vanderbilt decided to build his own residence in the Blue Ridge Mountains after visiting Asheville for the first time in 1888. He purchased 125,000 acres before hiring architect Richard Morris Hunt to design his new home and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to create the estate’s gardens. The builders broke ground in 1889 but it would take six full years of construction to complete the estate. George finally opened Biltmore to guests for a Christmas Eve celebration in 1895.
Biltmore was built in the style of a French Renaissance chateau and indeed looks like a castle set in a forest. Its 250 rooms include 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. Amenities at Biltmore included electricity, indoor plumbing, a gymnasium, call bell system, centralized clock system, and an indoor swimming pool.
In 1898, George Vanderbilt married socialite Edith Stuyvesant Dresser. Two years later in 1900, they had their only child together, a daughter named Cornelia who was born at Biltmore. The family would live together at Biltmore Estate for the next 14 years.
The Estate in Modern Times
George Vanderbilt died unexpectedly in 1914 following an emergency appendectomy. Edith and Cornelia continued living at Biltmore but as the Vanderbilt fortune dwindled, Edith was forced to sell 87,000 acres of the estate to the federal government. In 1930, amidst the Great Depression, Cornelia and her husband opened the estate to the public for tours.
Today, Biltmore is still owned by the descendants of George Vanderbilt and is a prime travel destination. In addition to the mansion itself, the estate now has two hotels, a winery, and multiple cottages that can be rented out. George Vanderbilt wanted Biltmore to be a self-sustaining estate, and it has been in many ways.
The Hauntings At Biltmore Estate
Visitors to the Biltmore Estate come there to see what life would have been like for one of the richest families in the country during the Gilded Age, but some get the extra surprise of encountering a ghost. In fact, both staff and guests have reported various hauntings over the years, including cold spots, a sense of being watched or followed, and even being pushed. Staff have heard the sounds of a party in the great hall when no one is there, and smelled cigar smoke even though Biltmore prohibits smoking.
The grand staircase and the basement are two spots where most hauntings are reported. Witnesses have heard footsteps and seen shadowy figures going up and down the stairs over the years. In the basement, there have been reports of ghosts cooking and doing chores in the kitchen.
The indoor swimming pool is also in the basement, and sounds of splashing have been heard even though the pool was emptied of water years ago. More unsettling than that are the reports of laughter coming from the pool’s drain. There is an unfounded rumor that a child drowned in the pool and visitors often feel a sense of anxiety and dread in the pool area.
Also in the basement is the “Halloween” room, which features a series of beautifully creepy murals. Some have seen a woman in a flapper dress in the room, perhaps reliving one of the Halloween parties that took place there over a century ago.
The Many Ghosts Of Biltmore Estate
Two of the ghosts who have been identified at Biltmore are its original owners, George and Edith Vanderbilt. George loved the estate’s massive two-story library and would often go in there to read during storms. He spent so much time in the library that Edith would have to come and get him to attend to their guests during parties. As a result, staff have seen the apparition of George Vanderbilt at the onset of a storm. Others have heard the name “George” whispered in the empty room as if Edith is calling out to him. George has even been seen sitting in a chair reading by the fireplace.
In addition to the Vanderbilts, the ghost of a woman in pink has been seen wandering the halls. This entity is allegedly the mistress of George Vanderbilt who died in 1898 at a hospital not far from the estate. A woman in black has been seen near the pool, which could be the cause of so much distress for visitors in that space. It’s also rumored that a sex worker was murdered at the now defunct Biltmore Forestry School and her spirit has been seen inside the building.
Arguably one of the strangest apparitions at Biltmore Estate is the ghost of an orange cat with no head who has been spotted in the gardens. No one knows who owned the cat or why it’s always headless but it makes for a disturbing site nevertheless.
Haunted Asheville
After all these years, Biltmore Estate remains a top destination for history buffs and ghost enthusiasts alike. Although some of the spirits have been identified, there are many who remain a mystery, their stories lost to time.
Want to learn more about who haunts this spooky city? Book a ghost tour with Asheville Terrors for your next visit to get the full story about the ghosts of Asheville.
Sources:
https://northcarolinaghosts.com/mountains/biltmore-house-ghosts
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/north-carolina/haunted-biltmore-in-asheville-nc
https://www.biltmore.com/our-story/biltmore-history/estate-timeline
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