El Podcast

E37: Biltmore: America’s Biggest Mansion

Episode Summary

Denise Kiernan talks about The Last Castle and the story behind Biltmore—the largest home in U.S. history. She covers how George Vanderbilt built it, why his wife Edith saved it, and what it reveals about wealth, legacy, and conservation in the Gilded Age.

Episode Notes

Denise Kiernan shares the extraordinary history of Biltmore House, America's largest private home, and the powerful legacy of the Vanderbilt family during the Gilded Age.

Guest Bio: Denise Kiernan is a New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and producer whose books include The Last Castle, The Girls of Atomic City, and We Gather Together. She hosts “Craft: Authors in Conversation” and lives in Asheville, North Carolina, near the Biltmore Estate.

Topics Discussed:

• The construction and scale of the Biltmore Estate
• George and Edith Vanderbilt’s legacy
• Gilded Age opulence and class disparity
• Early conservation efforts and the birth of Pisgah National Forest
• The role of women like Edith Vanderbilt and Sarah Josepha Hale in shaping American history
• The economic decline of old money families and estate preservation

2 Best Quotes:

• "The Biltmore House is the largest house in America—ever. Nothing has surpassed it."
• "History makes you ask questions of the present—what do we want to preserve for future generations?"

📺Watch on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/jSSSXJ9SE24