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Rarely Known North Carolina Fact

Most people know North Carolina for its beaches and mountains, but few realize that the state is home to the largest private residence in the United States: Biltmore Estate.

Completed in 1895 by George Washington Vanderbilt II, the mansion contains 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. The estate sits on thousands of acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains and was originally designed as a self-sustaining country retreat. Even today, it remains one of North Carolina’s most visited attractions and is still owned by descendants of the Vanderbilt family.

Many visitors are surprised to learn that this enormous estate is larger than many historic European palaces and helped pioneer modern forestry practices in the United States through its vast surrounding lands.