Asheville, a town of Victorian charm-
Queen Anne/Colonial Revival architecture.
A Trolley Tour,
The Biltmore (America's largest home),
and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Now a lovely B & B, but the interesting history says that
Mr Wright died twice!
Apparently Mrs Wright was so mad when Mr. Wright disappeared
that she faked a funeral.
When he showed up many years later and begged for her to take him in,
she consented .
When he actually died, she had him buried in the original grave site.
Captain Morgan, the pilot of the Memphis Belle bomber
was on a nationwide tour to sell war bonds,
and banked the plane 60 degrees and buzzed the two government buildings.
So many interesting facts on a Trolley Tour!
The Woolworth building and the original lunch counter.
THE BILTMORE
America's largest house. It has 250 rooms, 46 bathrooms, opened in 1895.
George Vanderbilt II originally had the property on 126,000 acres.
The designers of this period were copying the European design
of Gargoyles and Grotesques.
We heard that the workers may have copied their own images for the house.
This used to be the stable.
Now it is a collection of shops and restrooms.
(no one is allowed to use any of the 46 bathrooms in the house)
Dining Room
"back in the day" the presents were hung on the tree.
View of the 126000 acres from one of the verandas.
The Gargoyles are so interesting. Note the detail.
We heard that the stone cutters on this project were among the highest paid on the whole job.
(and that perhaps they carved their own portraits)?
The ceiling on the library reminded me of the Sistine Chapel
A rare tapestry from Europe.
This fills only part of the 90 foot hall.
George's bedroom
The walls are covered in 22 carat gold.
The adjoining bathroom has a bathtub carved from a solid block of marble,
and the diameter is 6 feet.
The Louis XV room.
The silk flocked wallpaper has strands of silver running through it.
Masterful carvings adorn the outside of the building.
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
A pleasant drive at the end of the day
on a very small piece of the 469 miles.
Lou wondered why they are called the Blue Ridge Mountains
😉
