Alamance Battleground

As we continued east, we made a stop so that we could visit the Alamance Battleground.

The Battle of Alamance took place in May, 1771 as was the final battle of the Regulator Movement, a rebellion in colonial North Carolina over issues of taxation and local control.  It has been considered by some to be the opening skirmish of the American Revolution.  

In the spring of that year, North Carolina Governor William Tryon left New Bern, mustering and marching approximately 1,000 militia troops westward to address a rebellion that had been brewing for several years.  It had up to that point included only minor acts of violence, followed by refusals to pay fees, and continued harassment of government officials.  About 2,000 "regulators" had gathered, hoping to gain concessions from Tryon by intimidating him with a show of force.  Tryon set out with his militia to confront the Regulators, who had made camp south of Great Alamance Creek.

We were greeted as we entered the Visitor Center by Lisa and she gave us a brief overview of the events that occurred here.

She started a 20 minute movie so that we had an overview of the battle and the events leading up to it.

From there we went outside to visualize the area.

The settlers at the trees in front of us, militia on the left where we're standing.

We found the Allen House which was built in 1782.  It is a two-story log dwelling which rests on a stone foundation.  The historic house lends an insight into life and culture in the early days.  It was moved to the Alamance Battleground in 1966 where it was restored.  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

From the display: According to legend, Regulator James Pugh, brother-in-law of Regulator Herman Husband, lay behind this rock while he fired on Tryon's troops.  Tradition has also held since 1942 that James was taken prisoner and hanged in Hillsborough on June 19, 1771.  However, in 2013 research indicated that James Pugh was alive as late as 1810 when he wrote his will.  His brother, Enoch, another Regulator, probably died in 1771, and it is possible he was the Pugh who was actually hanged in Hillsborough.

Losses for both sides are disputed.  Tryon reported nine dead and 61 wounded among the militia.  Historians indicate much greater numbers - between 15 and 27 killed.  Both sides counted nine dead among the Regulators and from dozens to about two hundred wounded.  Tryon took 13 prisoners.  One of them, James Few, was executed at the camp, and six were executed later in nearby Hillsborough.  Many Regulators traveled on to frontier areas beyond North Carolina.  Tryon pardoned others and allowed them to stay on the condition they pledge an oath of allegiance to the royal government.  

Recent archaeological studies at the site have shown that the Alamance Battleground was also the site of another skirmish in the Revolutionary War and a civil war era Confederate encampment.

It was an interesting visit and we learned a lot about something we'd never heard of before.

Biltmore - the rest of the story

We loved seeing the interior of the house but it was time to head outside and enjoy some of the 8,000 acres of the estate.  There was a beautiful patio/overlook next to the house so we ventured down the stairs.

And we were treated to the view that inspired George Vanderbilt to create this beautiful estate.  Note the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.

From there we started the journey down the walkway to the gardens.

And on to the "main event".

And then it was on to the Conservatory.

Completed in 1896, the Conservatory features tall, arched windows that look out to the terraced butterfly garden and Walled Garden.  This beautiful place displays an ever-present abundance of lush, fragrant tropical displays.

There were benches throughout where visitors can sit and enjoy the displays.

It was beautiful both inside and out.

Back on the shuttle to get the truck and drive to Antler Hill.

Antler Hill Village's name comes from the name of a "fine high ridge" found in estate records.  From the Civil War into the 1930s, the ridge was the site of Antler Hall, a residence and social center for many estate families.  Oral history records reveal fond memories of gatherings for estate employees, including an employee Christmas party, dances, fall fairs and classes in the evenings.

It had already been a long day and we hadn't had lunch so, of course, we had to make a stop.

Cedric, a smooth coat St. Bernard, was a loyal companion to George Vanderbilt.  Though it is not known exactly how George came to own Cedric, it is known that he was brought to the estate from George's summer home sometime around the opening of Biltmore House in 1895 when Cedric was likely 1-3 years old.

By 1901, there was a whole family of St. Bernards living at Biltmore, all adored by the Vanderbilts and their guests.  George gifted St. Bernards (believed to have been sired by Cedric) to friends and family.  In 1902, George's friend Rev. William Croswell Doane lost his faithful St. Bernard named Cluny, so George gave him a puppy named Balder.  A few years later, George and Edith also gave a St. Bernard puppy to their nephew, John Nicholas Brown, who also named his dog Cedric.

Cornelia and Cedric playing ball

We sat on the patio - it was hot so we needed a drink.

Hibiscus Mimosa

We had made reservations for wine tasting - complimentary and booked on the app the day of the visit - so after lunch it was time to make our way to the winery.

The complimentary wine tastings are another extension of the Vanderbilt's signature gracious hospitality.  The wine hosts introduce guests to some of the winery's most popular and award winning vintages while sharing a brief history of Biltmore's vineyards and wine operations.

It's all very organized and people wait at the door for their time to enter - eight people at a time belly up to one of the beautiful bars.  I think there were four or five tasting bars all in various stages of tastings.

Miguel welcomed us and let us each choose which wines we wanted to taste.

Cheers!

Of course we had to peruse the gift shop - what's wine tasting if you don't leave with a bottle (or four) of wine?

Biltmore House

As we continued east, we planned a two day stop near Asheville so we could visit Biltmore.  

We made reservations and were at the estate early (if I'm on time I'm late) and found our way to the parking area and climbed aboard the shuttle to take us to the house.

The driver was great and told us about the landscaping and how it was designed to create anticipation for visitors as they approached the home.  And at just the precise moment, he described the culmination of the drive in and the "awe" factor as the home came into view.  And there it was!

In the 1880s, George Vanderbilt began to make regular visits to the Asheville area.  He loved the scenery and climate so decided to build a summer house, which he called his "little mountain escape."  Wonder what his winter house looked like.  Haha.  He named his estate Biltmore, combining De Bilt (his ancestors' place of origin in the Netherlands) with more (an open, rolling land).  He bought nearly 700 parcels of land, including over 50 farms and at least five cemeteries.  A portion of the estate was once the community of Shiloh.

Since we had plenty of time, we wandered through the courtyard and shops.  Restoration on the bricks was underway.

And then on to the shops.  Everything was beautiful.

And then it was on to the main event.  Entry into the house was very organized.  Only a few visitors are allowed in at a time.

After entry, guests make a stop in this beautiful atrium to collect a hand held device that leads you through the house and explains the details of each room.

Construction of the house began in 1889.  In order to make this large project possible, a woodworking factory and brick kiln, which produced 32,000 bricks per day, were built onsite.  A three mile railroad spur was constructed to bring materials to the building site.  Construction on the house required the labor of about 1,000 workers and 60 stonemasons.

George Vanderbilt opened the estate on Christmas Eve, 1895 to family and friends from across the country.  The mansion reportedly cost $5 million ($180 million today) to construct.  George married Edith Stuyvesant Dresser in 1898 and their only child, Cornelia, was born at Biltmore in 1900 and grew up at the estate.

Houseguests played dominoes and billiards and enjoyed refreshments in this richly paneled room.  The custom oak billiard tables were made in 1895.

Billiard cues

This was the viewing area so that those not playing could watch the games in comfort.

The banquet hall has a seven story high ceiling and tapestries from the mid 1500s.  Guests of the Vanderbilts enjoyed elegant dinners that began promptly at 8 p.m.  Often the highlight of a stay at Biltmore, these elaborate, ceremonious affairs featured up to 10 courses and as many as five different wine pairings and live musical entertainment.

Guests of the Vanderbilts were served both breakfast and luncheon in the Breakfast Room.  The two small paintings on the right are by French Impressionist Pierre Auguste Renoir.

 

The Music Room was not finished during George Vanderbilt's time - it wasn't finished until 1976.  

In 1941 during World War II, American leaders based in the nation's capital began to fear the possibility of an attack.  German submarines had been sighted along the Atlantic Coast from Maine to North Carolina, bringing the war uncomfortably close to the American shore.  With that in mind, and with information from European sources about Hitler's efforts to seize and stockpile art, the director of the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. contacted Biltmore to discuss the possibility of sending some of the nation's most important art treasures there for safekeeping.

The unfinished Music Room was refitted with steel doors and other protective measures were taken, as outlined by the National Gallery of Art.  On January 8, 1942, an array of guests arrived at the house.  Accompanied by guards on their journey from Washington D.C., 62 paintings and 17 sculptures from the National Gallery of Art were carried into the house and placed in the Music Room for safekeeping.  Biltmore had opened to the public in 1930 as a means of promoting tourism in Asheville.  Guests walked by the Music Room, unaware that some of the world's greatest artwork was secretly hidden on the other side of the wall.  The priceless artwork remained under 24 hour armed guard until the fall of 1944, well after the danger of bombings or invasion had ended.

The library is a testament to George Vanderbilt's passion for books.  It contains nearly half of his 22,000 volume collection, which ranges from American and English fiction to world history, religion, philosophy, art, and architecture.

The shelves are so high that a staircase is needed to reach the highest books.

I'd like to curl up with a book next to this fireplace.

Hard to appreciate the beauty of The Chariot of Aurora on the ceiling.  This was painted in the 1720s by Italian artist Giovanni Pellegrini.

At 90 feet in length the Tapestry Gallery is the longest room in the house.  Painted limestone mantels above each fireplace divides the room visually into thirds, with each third devoted to one of the three tapestries Vanderbilt acquired from an original set of seven known as The Triumph of the Seven Virtues.

One of the tapestries - it took 5 years to design and 5 years to stitch.

George Vanderbilt's bedroom features gilded wall covering and 17th century Portuguese Baroque furniture.

This sitting room was located between the family's bedrooms and functioned as a private sitting area for the Vanderbilt's to relax, plan their day, and host close friends.  It also served as a gallery where George showcased his prized collections.  

Daughter Cornelia's portrait is displayed prominently.

This retreat became Edith Vanderbilt's room upon her marriage at age 25.  Doors in the bedroom lead to the Lady Maid's Room, the bathroom, and closet.

Each of the 13 guest rooms is decorated in a different style as was fashionable in the late 1800s.  

This room was named for James Watson and is part of a suite of rooms named for artists whose works are displayed.  It is the only bedroom with twin beds.

Those in the 'guest retreats' came to the Third Floor Living Hall to read, listen to music, and unwind.  Notable furnishings include Herter Brothers display cabinets and bookcases inherited by George Vanderbilt from his father's home in New York City.

We headed down the Grand Staircase.....

To the recreation area and basement.

This stone hallway shows one of the foundation walls.  It took almost two years to build the foundations and footings that extend down about 29 feet.

Houseguests enjoyed one of the nation's first bowling alleys in a private residence.  Attendants sat behind the post in the right corner so that they could pick up the pins after every roll.

It was not proper to walk through the house with swim wear on so these dressing rooms were used by female guests to change into the appropriate clothing.

The 70,000 gallon indoor pool was heated and still has its original underwater lighting.  When preparing for a party at the end of the 20th century, the pool was filled so that guests could enjoy it.  Unfortunately, over night the pool completely drained into the lower floors and it hasn't been used since.

Keeping fit and healthy were popular pastimes in George Vanderbilt's day.  The "Needle Baths" along the back wall were the equivalent of modern shower massages.

Biltmore's gardens and grounds offered a wide range of leisurely outdoor activities including horseback riding, fishing, and playing croquet.  The estate even had its own golf course during the Vanderbilt's era.

Biltmore functioned like a luxury hotel, requiring an exceptional staff to ensure day-to-day operations ran smoothly.  Employees received room, board, and uniforms as well as pay that was higher than the Asheville standard.

Up to 30 domestic staff members worked in Biltmore House under the supervision of the head housekeeper, who ran the daily operations, and the head butler, who oversaw the male staff including footmen and houseboys.  The servants gathered together in this dining room for meals.

An example of a bedroom utilized by the servants.

The main kitchen was the heart of the home and was busy nearly 24 hours per day.

There were a number of pantries and walk-in refrigerators.  It's not often that you see a pantry dedicated just to plants.

The Main Laundry was as busy and well-equipped as one in large hotel, with laundresses working into the evening to wash and dry bed, bath, and table linens.  Ron's grandfather owned a large industrial laundry in Winnemucca, Nevada and later in Mt. View, California so this brought back some memories.

 

Easing their work was a system of electric drying racks in the adjacent Drying Room.

And the bachelors had their own wing.  In the Smoking Room, the male guests enjoyed after dinner cigars, pipes, and brandy.

Hunting parties were a popular pastime on country estates.  Guests selected guns from George Vanderbilt's collection to use on their excursions.

What an incredible home but we weren't finished yet.  We still had the gardens and other parts of the estate to visit.  That's the next episode.