Conversation

Notices

1. Andrew (Television Executive) (ajroach42@retro.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 07:12:13 UTC Andrew (Television Executive)

   We also went to the Biltmore estate, an experience that made me stomach turn.

   I should explain what The Biltmore Estate is for those who might not be familiar.

   • Andrew (Television Executive) (ajroach42@retro.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 07:12:10 UTC Andrew (Television Executive)

     in reply to

     Anyway, fuck the plutocrats and the aristocracy.

     Nothing this overwhelmingly excessive should have ever been in private hands.

   • Andrew (Television Executive) (ajroach42@retro.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 07:12:11 UTC Andrew (Television Executive)

     in reply to

     It's beautiful. Some of the best views of the Appalachian mountains I've ever seen. Magnificent gardens. An astounding collection of art and prints and furniture.

     The tour was more than an hour long and barely covered even 1/4th of the house, much less the rest of the grounds.

     It was also just propaganda. The estate is still privately held. They charge $100/head for entry. There were at least 500 people in the main grounds, but likely many many more.

   • Andrew (Television Executive) (ajroach42@retro.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 07:12:11 UTC Andrew (Television Executive)

     in reply to

     The audio tour stresses how proud the servants were. Talks about all the good the estate did for the community.

     Doesn't mention the 700 families that were displaced to build the place.

     Tagomago repeated this.
   • Andrew (Television Executive) (ajroach42@retro.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 07:12:12 UTC Andrew (Television Executive)

     in reply to

     The Biltmore Estate is a gilded age mansion. The largest privately owned home in the united states, and a monument to excess.

     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biltmore_Estate

     It's huge.

     178,926 square feet.

     Massive.

     And the grounds are huge too! 13 square miles today.

   • Andrew (Television Executive) (ajroach42@retro.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 07:12:12 UTC Andrew (Television Executive)

     in reply to

     It was originally 135 square miles, but the George Vanderbilt died and the US government started collecting income tax and his wife sold many miles to the US government which turned it in to the Pisgah national forest.

   • Tagomago (tagomago@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 07:22:57 UTC Tagomago

     in reply to

     • Daniel

     @daniel @ajroach42 I'm sorry but this kind of property is grotesque.

   • Daniel (daniel@campduffel.social)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 07:23:02 UTC Daniel

     in reply to

     @ajroach42 I just did the tour last week as well and disagree with that sentiment. Being able to live in a country where you can do what you want with what's yours is ideal. A lot of the builders considered the house their magnum opus and many went on to do other great things. I heard that Vanderbilt paid for all of the many parcels. I don't know his whole story but the guy aspired to greatness, which is laudable, and helped a lot of folks. That might be why no one tried to steal the place.