Welcome to the Gilded Asheville blog!

In 1880, the construction of a railroad reaching into the North Carolina mountains turned the western part of the state into a playground for the industrial elite.  Upon visiting Asheville, NC, one of the heirs of the Vanderbilt family railroad fortune, George Washington Vanderbilt, declared that he would like to build his “little mountain escape” there.  The resulting 125,000 acre estate, complete with 175,000 square-foot chateau, became a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s status at the forefront of the new American nobility.  In Biltmore, he created what is still the largest private residence in the United States.  What followed left the stamp of the Gilded Age culture of the robber barons on the then tiny hamlet of Asheville.  

Students in “Gilded Asheville” will study a variety of primary and secondary materials to reveal the larger context of the Gilded Age and the history of Asheville and the Biltmore Estate.  In addition to group discussions, students will carry out individual research to illuminate a topic of their choosing in preparation for a trip to Asheville.  Participants will then embark on a four day, three night trip to Asheville where they will examine Biltmore Estate and other aspects of Asheville’s history and architecture as relates to the Gilded Age.  Other activities include visiting the archives at UNC-Asheville, a walking tour of downtown Asheville architecture, and a visit to Biltmore Village, the community Vanderbilt established for the workers and services necessary to maintaining his estate.  We will also visit the Smith McDowell House Museum where students will participate in a Victorian style tea service.  Upon return, students will prepare a finished product (presentation, website, etc) to share with the NCSSM community, addressing how the Gilded Age touched Asheville and affected North Carolina.

The instructors for the Gilded Asheville Mini-term are

Katy Fenn, Humanities Instructor, NCSSM

Meredith Murphy, Humanities Instructor, NCSSM