Three Famous Historic Homesteads to Tour in and Near Asheville, North Carolina

Although historic homes are sprinkled throughout North Carolina, there are three especially notable homesteads in the greater Asheville area you won't want to miss when you visit western North Carolina. Each homestead gives you a glimpse of what life was like for the famous people who once lived in the homes.

Historic North Carolina Home #1---Carl Sandburg House in Western North Carolina

Located three miles south of Hendersonville (off US 25) in Flat Rock, North Carolina, the Carl Sandburg House (also known as Connemara) is where the celebrated Pulitzer-prize winning poet and author, Carl Sandburg, lived for 22 years. Born in the Midwest, Sandburg moved his family to Flat Rock, North Carolina in 1945 where he found inspiration to write and publishe more than one-third of his works. He continued to produce his writings there until he died in 1967. The homestead includes a 22-room house, as well as barns, sheds, and hiking trails. Lakes, ponds, and gardens also make up the 264-acre estate. While Carl Sandburg made his mark in the literary world, his wife, Lillian was known for raising different breeds of goats there.

Historic North Carolina Home #2---Old Kentucky Home Boarding House of Thomas Wolfe in Asheville

Author Thomas Wolfe, a leader of 20^th Century American literature, made his home in Asheville, North Carolina. Wolfe's mother ran the historic Old Kentucky Home boarding house, portrayed as "Dixieland" in his award-winning novel, "Look Homeward Angel", where Mr. Wolfe lived for a decade. In his novel, "Look Homeward Angel", Wolfe writes from his childhood in Asheville.

When Thomas Wolfe was only five years old, his mother Julia Wolfe bought the Old Kentucky Home in 1906. Later Wolfe portrayed the character of his mother (who was drive by a fear of poverty) in his character of Eliza Grant (the money-grubbing keeper of Dixieland) in his novel. His depiction of his family (the Gants in "Look Homeward Angel") and town (Altamont) was received with diverse reaction from the people of Asheville, as his characters were less than gratifying. However, the town eventually forgave him after Wolfe left for almost eight years. After the town refused to sell "Look Homeward Angel", author F. Scott Fitzgerald bought two copies of the novel, donating them to the town library.

Historic North Carolina Home #3---Biltmore House in Asheville

If you ever visit Asheville, you must tour the Biltmore Estate, the largest private resident in the United States. Known as the most visited historic tourist site in the America, the Biltmore House has more recorded visitors than even Elvis Presley's Graceland.

The Biltmore House was the home of George Vanderbilt, who inherited an enormous family fortune through various business ventures. He and his wife, Edith Vanderbilt, lived in American's largest mansion which includes 250 rooms, including a library of 10,000 volumes, a Banquet Hall with a 70-foot ceiling, along with 65 fireplaces. The house also encompasses an indoor pool, as well as a bowling alley. George strove to run Biltmore as profitable estate, using his interest in horticulture to experiment in scientific farming.

Christmas is a special time at the 8,000 acre Biltmore Estate, beginning in 1895 when George Vanderbilt hosted his first Christmas party there. The tradition continued, with the current holiday festivities beginning 1979 when it was open to the public. Decorated with a 35-foot Fraser fir, scores of Christmas trees, with more than 400 wreaths and bows and miles of garland, ornaments, and other yuletide adornment, the Biltmore House draws Christmas guest from all over the country. However, the most popular affair is the Candlelight Christmas Evenings, which begin at 5:30 PM, each night, where all the elegant rooms are lit up with candlelight. What's more, music streams from the mansion, with choirs and musicians playing Christmas carols.

When you visit these historic homesteads, you're sure to leave with a richer understanding of the famous people who once lived in these homes. What's more, you'll share in their eras of history, learning more about what it was like to live in western North Carolina years ago.