he was the youngest son of william henry vanderbilt and the grandson of commodore vanderbilt. this was an incredible family that had been building railroads and shipping industries across the world. he was the youngest son and interested in intellectual pursuits. he was a book and print collector, a friend to artists and writers. george washington vanderbilt came to the asheville area and there were many doctors in this area for his mother. he fell in love with the landscape and to the sweeping views and began to assemble an estate. began to acquire land with this vision of creating a house gardens and landscaping. when he first started building biltmore, it was him and his dog. they created this grant a state. it was for friends, family and to get away. it was his primary home. he fell in love thereafter and welcomed edith. they were married in paris, had a four month honeymoon and came back to biltmore. ever since then it has been a family home. when the architect and george vanderbilt started working together they had a vision for a small house. something tucked away into t

george washington vanderbilt was the youngest son of henry william vanderbilt. this was an incredible family that has been building railroads and shipping industries in new york and across the world. he was the youngest and was really interested in. intellectual pursuits he was -- in interested pursuits. he was a collector of arts and beautiful objects. george washington vanderbilt came to the asheville area in the late 1880's. his mother was suffering from malaria and there were many pulmonary doctors in the area. he fell in love with the landscapes and the sweeping views, and began to assemble an estate, and began to acquire land with this envision -- with this vision of creating a house and a grand estate around it. you would not think of a house this size that a bachelor would want that. when george began building baltimore, it was he himself and his trusty dog cedric, and they created this grand estate. it was really for friends and family and to get away and it was his primary home, although he traveled quite a bit. he fell in love soon after. they were ma