American Dynasty Padlet by Maleah Hawkins

Vanderbilt Family

26mhawkins — 2025-05-16 16:04:05 UTC

Vanderbilt family, one of the wealthiest and most prominent families in the United States.

George Vanderbilt

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George Vanderbilt, grandson of famed shipping entrepreneur and industrialist Cornelius “the Commodore” Vanderbilt, first visited Asheville, North Carolina, in 1888. Captivated by the area’s natural beauty, he slowly began purchasing land, ending up with 125,000 acres for what would become his country estate

Construction of Biltmore House 1889

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George Vanderbilt’s 250-room French Renaissance château is a true marvel, the largest undertaking in residential architecture in the nation. Over a six-year period, an entire community of craftsmen comes together to create America’s premier home and the remarkable gardens and grounds that surround it.

1895 George Opens house to family

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On Christmas Eve, the country retreat George Vanderbilt has spent so long planning is marvelously decorated and full of festivity. The finished home contains more than four acres of floor space, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.

1898 Marriage

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Edith is a descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, the first governor of Dutch colonial New York. After honeymooning in italy, George and Edith return to live at Biltmore.

Cornelia Born 1900

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George and Edith’s only child is born on the evening of August 22 in the Louis XV Room in Biltmore House. It is a celebrity birth, even by modern standards.

1900 Barn and and Main Dairy begins being built

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The Horse Barn is a thriving social and work center for the families who farmed Biltmore, and the agricultural heart of the estate. It remains a unique connection to the estate’s past.

1914 George V. passes away

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George Vanderbilt is buried in the Vanderbilt family mausoleum on Staten Island. He leaves a legacy of philanthropy, which Edith continues, selling approximately 87,000 acres of the estate to the United States Forest Service for less than $5 an acre. Pisgah National Forest, which includes the Cradle of Forestry, is one of the first national forests east of the Mississippi River.

1924 Cornelia V. marries John Francis

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The Cecils are wed at All Souls Church in Biltmore Village, with Edith Vanderbilt escorting her daughter.

Georges first grandchild was born 1925

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Cornelia and John’s first son, George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil, is born in the Loius XV Room, where Cornelia herself was born.

Cecils 2nd son

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Cornelia and John’s second son, William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil, is born—also in the Louis XV Room.

1930 Cornelia and Cecil open the Biltmore house to public

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The Cecils respond to requests to increase area tourism during the Depression, and to generate income to preserve the estate.