Teens Visit the Biltmore-Part Three

Welcome back to the final post on my tour with the teens to the Biltmore!

Oh yes, I found them as we exited and headed to the lawn and garden portion of the tour. This is a pretty view with the chateau and fall trees behind them as they walk over a bridge. Did you know that the Biltmore is still privately owned? I’d say they are doing a fantastic job of making it a family business. Certainly they work very hard. It’s not about the riches, it’s about the history and culture of the place. It allows you to go back in time while you walk around. Face it when this place was built electricity didn’t exist, nor plumbing. After it was discovered they added those items into the interior. That means refrigeration didn’t either. I believe my dad once told me that refrigeration is probably one of the great saviors of mankind, but we take it for granted.

Dare I say cell phones weren’t around and now most people have one in their hands, look above.

The architecture alone is eye catching and can be seen everywhere. The middle picture exemplifies that Gothic look which writers write books and poems about with mystery and magnitude exonerating some ancient past. And then there’s the vines in the first picture; you don’t grow those overnight. I have always wanted to grow wisteria over a pergola and have never done that. Things come to those who wait while pursuing other dreams. I’m certain I will do that. We didn’t venture into the greenhouses on this trip but you can bet they were filled with orchids and such. In the third picture can you see the white horse?

A picture is worth a thousand words as the cliche goes and I say this one speaks that eloquently. I’ll never know what they were talking about because I didn’t ask. This was their moment in time.

While practicing my selfies (I need to smile more) a half-clothed male statue photo-bombed me. That was exciting. Ha! In the center photo I used a filter to give it a soft glow making it seem more like a fairy-tale castle or a sunset view. If you didn’t know better you might think I’m in Europe but I’m not. It is worth the trip as Asheville is surrounded by the mountains. There’s a newly built brewery with live music just down the road from the Biltmore.

I couldn’t help but notice this little guy, a cherub, holding a wreath and frolicking across the lawn in a playful manner. The backdrop has all the fine detail of the Victorian era-late 1890’s with the light green color of aging bronze due to the oxidation of copper. Mark Twain called this period ‘The Gilded Age’ for some of the lavish lifestyles created due to the wealth of some during the late 1870’s-1890’s. Most definitely it was prosperous after the ending of the civil war and later mobility due to Ford’s invention of the model T. With Edison inventing everything else under the sun this is my favorite time in history.

Thank you for reading my personal post on a recent tour of the Biltmore. It is a place that has been inspiring in my life, though, I can’t point to a specific reason as it just is. I’m happy my teens came and I was able to share with them something that I love. There’s nothing like a live history book. Hope you enjoyed my posts. See, I still haven’t mastered the selfie.

Caroline Clemens

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