.png)
From Long Island to the Biltmore: the Vanderbilt Legacy
Sometimes the most interesting travel experiences begin long before you ever reach your destination.
For me, my interest with the Biltmore Estate actually began on Long Island, New York, while exploring some of the area's beautiful, walkable hidden gems.
During a visit to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum, I found myself wandering along minding my business and the peaceful banks of the Connetquot River, admiring the magnificent trees, historic landscape, and beautiful waterfront views. But something across the water caught my attention.
There, partially hidden among the trees, stood what appeared to be an abandoned mansion. Even from a distance, I could tell that this was no ordinary building. It had clearly been something extraordinary in its day, but time had not been kind to it.
Naturally, my curiosity got the better of me.
What was this place? Who had lived there? And how could such an impressive piece of history have been left to deteriorate?
I asked my friend, who told me I'd like Bayard Arboretum, as he knows the area quite well. He explained that the mansion had been abandoned for years. He even told me how I could find my way over to see it a little more closely. Of course, that immediately landed it on my ever-growing list of places I wanted to explore. Unfortunately, I ran out of time on that particular trip.
Bayard Arboretum, Long Island Map of Bayard Arboretum Trails through Bayard Arboretum
A Little Vanderbilt History
Now, the Vanderbilt name wasn't entirely new to me.
Growing up on Long Island, I was already familiar with the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium in Centerport. I have memories of visiting the planetarium and listening to Pink Floyd beneath the stars. If you grew up on Long Island, perhaps you remember that experience, too!
The property is also home to a fascinating marine museum, beautiful grounds, and waterfront views. It's one of those places where you can easily spend an afternoon wandering having one foot in the real time and another foot in the Gilded age.
In fact, during one of my more recent Long Island adventures, I planned an entire Gatsby Weekend, visiting as many of Long Island's magnificent Gilded Age mansions as I could squeeze into one long weekend.
There's something captivating about these properties. The architecture, craftsmanship, gardens, and stories behind the families who built them offer a glimpse into an era that seems almost impossible to imagine today.
But back to that abandoned mansion across the river...
A Treasure Hunt With an Unexpected Twist
Fast-forward a few trips later, and I'm back on Long Island, this time on a completely different mission.
I was hunting for bricks.
Yes, bricks!
I had started building a backyard garden patio using old, reclaimed bricks, and I loved the character they brought to the space. Rather than buying new materials, I decided it would be fun to treasure hunt for more vintage bricks, ideally something that would complement the ones I'd already collected.
Facebook Marketplace had become my unlikely treasure map.
One day, I came across an offer for free bricks in Oakdale, Long Island. Perfect! I arranged a time to pick them up and headed out on what I thought would be a simple errand.
But as I drove through the neighborhood, something caught my eye.
There it was! The old Vanderbilt mansion!
The very same mansion I'd spotted across the river at the arboretum, the one I'd been meaning to investigate.
I practically stopped in the middle of the road.
For a moment, I considered pulling over right then and there, but I didn't want to be late for my appointment. So I made a mental note of exactly where I was and continued a few blocks down the road to collect my bricks.
The homeowners couldn't have been nicer. They had quite a collection of old bricks to give away, so many, in fact, that it ended up taking me two days and two carloads to bring them all home!
They even had a little tractor to help move the bricks around to the front of the property, making the whole process considerably easier.
As we chatted, I mentioned the magnificent old house I'd passed just a few blocks away.
"Oh yes," they told me. "That's the old Vanderbilt estate."
Of course, I had questions.
Could you visit it? Could you walk around the grounds? Was there any way to get a closer look?
They explained that while it wasn't officially open for visitors, people from the surrounding neighborhood sometimes walked their dogs through the area. They cautioned me not to get too close to the building, as it wasn't somewhere the public was supposed to be exploring.
I was intrigued enough already.
But then came the real surprise.
Wait... These Bricks Came From WHERE?
The homeowners mentioned something that stopped me in my tracks.
"You might find it interesting to know where these bricks came from."
Naturally, I wanted to know.
They told me the bricks I was loading into my car had actually come from the original Vanderbilt estate!
According to the homeowners, the bricks had once been part of a fireplace on the estate. When the surrounding property was eventually divided and developed into residential neighborhoods, the bricks had been salvaged for another project and remained in their possession for years.
And now, somehow, they were going home with me.
I couldn't believe it.
What started as a simple search for free building materials had turned into an unexpected connection to Long Island's Gilded Age history.
I wasn't just collecting old bricks anymore. I was bringing home pieces of a story.
And the fact that I'd discovered them only a few blocks from the very mansion I'd been curious about made the whole experience even more remarkable.
Sometimes the best treasures aren't the things we set out looking for.
Finally, A Closer Look
With my bricks safely collected, I couldn't resist making that long-overdue stop at the old Vanderbilt property.
Seeing it up close was an entirely different experience from viewing it across the river.
Even in its deteriorated condition, the building was extraordinary.
The architectural details, the intricate craftsmanship, the scale of the structure, and the decorative features were reminders of a time when homes were designed not simply to provide shelter but to make an artistic statement.
I found myself studying the exterior, imagining what the property must have looked like in its prime.
What had the rooms looked like? What kind of furnishings had filled them? What were the gardens like? How many people had worked to maintain an estate of this magnitude?
And perhaps the biggest question of all: how could something so magnificent end up in this condition?
There was something both beautiful and heartbreaking about seeing such extraordinary craftsmanship slowly being reclaimed by time.
I couldn't help wishing those walls could tell their stories.
Mansion in ruins Vanderbilt mansion in ruins Vanderbilt mansion in ruins
And That's When the Biltmore Became Interesting
Here's the funny thing.
Until that point, visiting the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, hadn't really been a priority for me.
Of course, I'd heard of it. I knew it was the enormous Vanderbilt mansion in the mountains, famous for its size, gardens, and extravagant architecture.
But it wasn't necessarily at the top of my must-see list.
That changed after my experience in Oakdale.
Standing near the ruins of a once-grand Vanderbilt property, studying its intricate exterior and imagining everything that had been lost, I suddenly became curious about what it would be like to step inside a Vanderbilt estate that had actually survived.
Not just the exterior. Not just the grounds.
I wanted to see the rooms, the staircases, the fireplaces, the woodwork, and all those extraordinary details that made these homes so remarkable.
I wanted to experience the architecture and craftsmanship firsthand, rather than imagining what might once have been behind the walls of an abandoned mansion.
And that's when I began looking at the Biltmore Estate a little differently.
It wasn't just another tourist attraction anymore.
It was an opportunity to step back into the Gilded Age and experience a world I'd only caught glimpses of during my Long Island explorations.
So when I began planning my autumn trip to Asheville, the Biltmore suddenly became one of the places I was most excited to visit.
And in a funny way, I have a pile of old bricks to thank for that.
A Little History: Whatever Happened to Idle Hour?
As it turns out, this magnificent old mansion has quite a story of its own!
Known as Idle Hour, the estate was originally developed in the late 1800s by William Kissam Vanderbilt and his wife, Alva. Situated along the Connetquot River, the property once encompassed approximately 900 acres, complete with elaborate gardens, stables, guest accommodations, and an extraordinary 110-room mansion.
But here's an interesting twist: the original mansion actually burned down in 1899! Vanderbilt wasted little time rebuilding, this time creating an even more impressive residence of brick and stone, completed in the early 1900s.
Following Vanderbilt's death in 1920, the enormous estate was eventually divided and sold. Much of the surrounding land became the residential neighborhoods we see today, although several original estate buildings still survive tucked among the homes.
The mansion itself found a new purpose in education, eventually becoming part of Dowling College. For decades, students walked the halls of what had once been one of Long Island's grandest private residences.
Unfortunately, Dowling College closed in 2016, and the property was sold the following year. Without a new permanent use, the mansion fell into a troubling state of vacancy and deterioration.
And that brings us to the building I discovered across the river.
What makes Idle Hour especially fascinating is that it hasn't disappeared. It's still standing, with much of its extraordinary architecture intact, almost waiting for someone to give it another chapter.
I couldn't help thinking how cool it would be to see this remarkable piece of Long Island history restored to its former glory.
And perhaps that's part of what made visiting the Biltmore Estate so special to me. One Vanderbilt mansion in ruins left me imagining what once was, while another gave me the opportunity to experience what still remains.
View of Idle Hour from Bayard Arboretum The Biltmore Estate and Autumn in Asheville Centerport Long Island Vanderbilt Estate
From a Forgotten Mansion to America's Largest Home
The Vanderbilt connection makes this story even more fascinating.
The Oakdale estate was associated with William Kissam Vanderbilt, while the Biltmore was built by his younger brother, George Washington Vanderbilt II.
Both men belonged to one of America's wealthiest families, yet the properties connected to their lives have experienced dramatically different fates.
In Oakdale, the remnants of a once-grand estate offer a haunting reminder of how quickly even the most impressive structures can fall into disrepair.
In Asheville, the Biltmore Estate remains an extraordinary example of Gilded Age architecture, preservation, and landscape design. Still owned by the family it tells a story of preservation and inheritance.
And while I certainly didn't plan it this way, my journey from one to the other made my visit to the Biltmore feel much more personal.
After all, there's something special about walking through history when you've already stumbled upon a little piece of it in your own backyard.
And speaking of backyards...
Those beautiful old bricks? They're becoming part of my garden patio, where they'll have a whole new chapter in their story.
Not bad for a Facebook Marketplace find!
~~ We are working on it, okay!
Laying a brick garden Empire and Nassau stamped bricks
Anyway, all this to say... I think you should visit the Biltmore in Asheville NC. Here's the itinerary from this awesome Retreat I hosted, Autumn in Asheville. I hope you will enjoy the history, architecture and intricate detail as much as I did!
Do not trespass, be safe and aware of your surroundings at all times!
I hope your travels are smooth, fun, and build quality time into your life.
No matter where your travels take you, enjoy the journey!
Don't forget good music in the car and car snacks.
Breathe and be present.
Remember to let go of all the things you can't control.
Enjoy your surroundings, and the people present with you.
A little planning goes a long way - especially when traveling with children!
And most importantly, make the memories count.
Thank you for visiting my site, please leave your thoughts and feedback.
Thank you for taking the time today to plan your adventure with me. I love sharing itineraries we've already used. My website is free, and I do not partner with Google or share your information.
A note from the editor:
The information in this article was accurate when published but may change without notice.
Confirm the prices and times on websites, and use your best judgement.
Confirm details when planning your trip.
Biltmore Gardens Biltmore Terrace Ready for Great Gatsby weekend
Comments