The Opening of the Biltmore:
Cornelia Vanderbilt
In March 1930, the Cecil’s opened the Biltmore Estate to the public for the first time. They did so mainly as a response to a request by Asheville officials who were hopeful that the opening of the house would bring tourism into the area in turn boosting employment and stimulating the local economy. Another goal was to bring in revenue to support the estate. The family stayed at the north end of the house and with the number of visitors barely reaching one thousand a year, the family continued to live a fairly normal life. At this time the tourists guided themselves around the house and guards were placed sparingly throughout the house. If the family decided to spend time a room that was often visited on the tour, they made sure to put in back in order before leaving (Grizzle, 2005).
The Biltmore and surrounding land.
Not only was the house bringing tourism in during this time, but the farming was still lucrative. The Biltmore dairy business was developing into a strong service while was providing jobs for the community at a crucial time. During this transitional period, the house was closed to tourists for a short time while World War II was being fought. The estate was specially chosen to house many historical art pieces from the National Gallery of Art just in case there was to be an attack in the United States’ capital. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Great Depression brought to Asheville and the Vanderbilt/Cecil family, the Estate remained family owned (Carley & Rennicke, 2000).