Today I experienced two sites I did not know about a few days ago. From Cherokee, NC I took the Blue Ridge Parkway (Thanks John) to Asheville, NC (Thanks Peggy and Tom).
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469 mile scenic road from North Caroline to Virginia. It is maintained by the National Park Service. It was started in the mid 1930s after the depression to create jobs and to attract tourism. The project slowed down during WW2, and the last piece was completed 1987. Unlike other road project the Parkway route was designed by a Landscape Architect.
In Asheville I visited Biltmore, the largest private mansion (250 rooms, 175,000 sf). It was the home for the Vanderbilts. Open to the public since 1950. The estate is still privately owned and operated by the Vanderbilt heirs. Based on the admission fee I’m not surprised about their good fortune.
I rounded off the day in one of the many microbreweries in Asheville. It was a good recommendation in the travel section of the NY Times (Thanks Peggy).
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